k 


s»^ 


r- 


.1  ft<  «l<'»l»9i«(  .'^ 

PRINCETON,     N.     J. 

sec. 

I^^Lf  v....... ...:    

Shelf.^. ; Number ..<..>. 


DISSERTATIONS 

ON 

THE  PROPHECIES, 

WHICH    HAVE    BEE^r 

REMARKABLY  FULFILLED, 

AND 


AT  THIS  TIME  ARE  FULFILLING  IN  THE  WORLD. 


/ 


BY  THOMAS  NEWTON,  D.  D. 

LATE    LORD    BISHOP    OF    BRISTOL. 


TO   WHICH   ARE   ADDED, 

A  number  of  Original  Notes,  and  a  Supplement,  containing 

Extracts  from  the  writings  of 

Owen,  Usher,  Broum,  Knox,  Gill,  More,  &c. 


.     A  NEW  EDITION, 

IN  WHICH    THE 

GREEK,  LATIN,  AND  OTHER  QUOTATIONS, 

.ire  translated  into  English. 


IJV  THREE  VOLUMES.      .-^^^S' 


/ 


VOL.  L  ;,0v  .? 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
PUBLISHED  BT  JAMES  MAHTIJ^, 

No.  369,  Market-street. 

Stiles,  printer.  /"T^ 

1813.  -wf 


District  of  Pennsylvania  ^  to  wit: 

BE  IT  REMEMBERED,  That  on  the  twenty-seventh  da> 
of  May,  in  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  the  independence  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  A.  D.  1813,  James  Martin,  of  the  said 
District,  hath  deposited  in  thi«  office  ^^^f  ^^^^  «^^  ^;°^>  .'„^^^ 
-/ight  whereof  he  claims  as  proprietor,  m  the  words  following, 
to  wit : 

*' Dissertatiom  on  ihe  Prophecies, -^chich  have  been  re^narko^ly 
fuimetU  find  at  this  time  are  fulJiUii.g  in  the  -.oorhl     By  Tho. 
mas  JK'e^oton,  D.  D.  kite  J^ord  Bishop  of  Bristol,      lo  -wnich 
are  added,  a  number  of  original  J\otes,  and  a  Supplement,  con- 
taining Extracts  frojn  the  ivritings  of  0~uen,  Usher,  Broivn, 
Knox,  Gill,  More,  SJc.     A  neiu  edition,  in  -ivhich  the   Greek, 
Latin,  and  other  Quotations  are  traiislated  into  English.     In 
three  volumes.     Vol.  7." 
In  conformity  to  the  Act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States, 
.ntitiiled,  "  An  Act  for  the  Encouragement  of  Learning,  by  se- 
curing the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  :uid  Books,  to  the  Authors 
und  I'roprictors  of  sucli  Copies,  during  tlie   times  therein  men- 
tioned."    And  also  lo  the  Act,  entitled,  "  An  Act  supplemen- 
tary to  An  Act,  entitled,  "  An  Act. for  the  Encouragement  of 
Learning,  by  securing  the  Copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books, 
to  the  Authors  and  Proprietors  of  such  Copies  duri^ng  the  times 
therein  mentioned,"  and  extending  the  benefits  tliereof  to  the 
Arts  of  designing,  engraving,  and  etching  historical  and  other 
prints." 

n.  CALDWELL, 
Clerk  of  tlie  District  of  rennsvlvania. 


TO  HIS  GRACE  THE 

LORD  ARCHBISHOP  OF  CANTERBURY: 

(DR.  HERRING.) 

MAY   IT   PLEASE   VOUR  GRACE,     - 

WITH  your  wonted  condescension  and 
goodness  to  accept  this  oifering  from  my  hands, 
as  a  testimony  of  my  veneration  for  your  grace, 
and  of  my  gratitude  for  your  favours  to  me.  A 
work  of  this  kind  I  could  not  indeed  address  to 
any  one  so  properly  as  to  your  grace,  on  account 
of  your  eminent  station,  and  much  more  on  ac- 
count of  your  amiable  qualities,  and  more  still 
as  I  have  the  happiness  to  live  under  you^pecu- 
liar  jurisdiction ;  and  your  grace  is  very  kind  in 
permitting  me  to  inscribe  it  to  your  name,  which 
kindness  I  will  not  abuse  with  the  usual  style  of 
dedications.  Your  grace's  virtues  are  so  well 
known,  and  so  universally  esteemed,  as  to  stand 
in  need  of  no  commendation,  and  much  less  of 
mine. 

I  would  rather  beg  leave  to  apprise  your 
grace,  and  the  reader,  of  the  design  of  these 
dissertations :  which  is  not  to  treat  of  the  pro- 
phecies in  general,  nor  even  of  those  prophecies 
in  particular,  which  were  fulfilled  in  the  person 
and  actions  of  our  Saviour  ;  but  only  of  such  as 
relate  more  immediately  to  these  later  ages,  and 


iv  DEDICATION. 

are  in  some  measure  receiving  their  accomplish- 
ment at  this  time.  What  first  suggested  the 
design,  were  some  conversations  formerly  with 
a  great  general,^  who  had  for  many  years  the 
chief  command  in  the  army,  and  was  a  man  of 
good  understanding,  and  of  some  reading,  but 
unhappily  had  no  great  regard  for  revealed  re- 
ligion or  the  clergy.  When  the  prophecies  were 
urged  as  a  proof  of  revelation,  he  constantly  de- 
rided the  notion,  asserted  that  there  was  no  such 
thing,  and  that  the  prophecies  which  were  pre- 
tended, were  written  after  the  events.  It  was- 
immediately  replied,  that  though  such  a  thing 
might  with  less  scruple  and  more  confidence  be 
affirmed  of  some  prophecies  fulfilled  long  ago, 
}'et  it  could  never  be  proved  of  any,  the  con- 
trary might  be  proved  almost  to  a  demonstra- 
tion :  but  it  could  not  be  so  much  as  affirmed  of 
several  prophecies  without  manifest  absurdity  ; 
Ibr  there  were  several  prophecies  in  scripture, 
which  were  not  fulfilled  till  these  later  ages,  and 
were  fulfilling  even  now,  and  consequently  could 
not  be  framed  after  the  events,  but  imdeniably 
\vere  written  and  published  many  ages  before. 
He  was  startled  at  this,  and  said  he  must  ac- 
kno\vledge,  that  if  this  point  could  be  proved  to 
satisfaction,  there  would  be  no  argument  against 
such  plain  matter  of  fact ;  it  would  certainly  con- 
\  ince  him,  and  he  believed  would  be  the  readi- 
est Avay  to  convince  every  reasonable  man,  of 
the  truth  of  revelation. 


*  Marshal  Wade. 


DEDICATIOX.  V 

It  was  this  occasion,  my  Lord,  that  first  gave 
rise  to  these  dissertations,  wlilc.h  were  originally 
drawn  up  in  the  form  of  some  sernions.  But 
since  that  time,  they  have  been  new-modelled, 
much  altered,  and  much  enlarged,  and  confirm- 
ed by  proper  authorities.  And  tliough  some  of 
them  only  are  here  published,  yet  each  disserta- 
tion may  be  considered  as  a  distinct  treatise  by 
itself.  It  is  hoped  indeed,  tliat  the  wliole,  like 
an  arch,  w^iil  add  strength  and  firmness  to  each 
part ;  but  at  the  same  time,  care  hath  been  ta- 
ken, that  the  parts  should  have  strength  in  them- 
selves, as  well  as  a  relation  to  the  whole,  and  a 
connection  with  each  other.  The  publication 
therefore  of  some  parts  cannot  be  improper  ;  and 
the  others  shall  go  to  the  press,  so  soon  as  an  in- 
different share  of  health,  constant  preaching  twice 
a  day,  and  other  necessary  duties  and  avocations 
will  permit  me  to  put  the  finisliing  hand  to 
them. 

Every  reader  must  know,  your  grace,  and 
every  scholar  must  know  more  especially,  that 
such  works  are  not  to  be  precipitated.  They 
require  time  and  learned  leisure,  great  reading 
and  great  exactness,  being  disquisitions  cf'some 
of  the  most  curious  points  of  history,  as  Vvell  as 
explications  of  some  of  the  most  difficult  pas- 
sages of  scripture.  And  I  should  not  presume 
to  offer  any  of  them  to  your  grace,  or  to  sub- 
mit them  to  the  public  censure,  if  they  had  not 
been  first  perused  and  corrected  by  some  of  my 
friends,  and  particularly  by  three  of  the  best 
schoiarsj  and  ablest  critics  of  this  age,  Bishop 


vl  DEDICATION, 

Pearce,  Dr.  Warburton,  and  Dr.  Jortin  ;  who 
were  also  my  friendly  coadjutors  in  my  edition 
of  Milton  ;  and  as  they  excel  in  all  good  learn- 
ing themselves,  so  they  are  very  ready  to  pro- 
mote and  assist  the  well-meant  endeavours  of 
others. 

When  the  other  parts  shall  appear,  they  sliall 
likewise  beg  your  grace's  patronage  and  protec- 
tion. And  in  the  mean  time  may  your  grace's 
health  be  re-established,  and  continue  many 
vears  for  the  good  of  this  church  and  nation ! 
It  is  nothing  to  say  that  it  is  my  earnest  wish  : 
It  is  the  wish  of  all  mankind  :  but  of  none  more 
ardently  than, 

May  it  please  your  grace, 

Your  grace's  most  dutiful, 

and  obliged, 

and  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  NEWTON. 

9tiA.  5.  1731. 


DISSERTATIONS 


.  PROPHECIES 

WHICH   HAVE 

KEM  AUK  ABLY  BEEN  FULFILLED,  AND  AT  THIS  TLME 
ARE  FULFILLING  IN  THE  WORLD. 


INTRODUCTION. 

ONE  of  the  strongest  evidences  for  the  truth  of 
revealed  religion,  is  that  series  of  prophecies  which 
is  preserved  in  the  Old  and  New  Testament ;  and  a 
greater  service  perhaps  could  not  be  done  to  Chris- 
tianity than  to  lay  together  the  several  predictions  of 
scripture  with  their  completions,  to  show  how  parti- 
cularly things  have  been  foretold,  and.  how  exactly 
fulfilled.  A  work  of  this  kind  was  desired  by  the 
Lord  Bacon  in  his  Advancement  of  Learning  :*  and 
he  intitleth  it  the  kistoi'y  of  prophecy^  and  therein 
would  have  "  every  prophecy  of  the  scripture  be 
sorted  with  the  event  fulfilling  the  same  throughout 
the  ages  of  the  world,  both  for  the  better  confirma- 
tion of  faith,"  as  he  saith,  "  and  for  the  better  illu- 
mination of  the  church,  touching  those  parts  of  pro- 
phecies which  are  yet  unfulfilled  :  allowing  never- 
theless that  latitude  which  is  agreeable  and  familiar 
unto  divine  prophecies,  being  of  the  nature  of  the 
author,  with  whom  a  thousand  years  are  but  as  one 

♦  Book  II.  in  English. 


viii  INTRODUCTION. 

(lay,  and  therefore  they  are  not  fulfilled  punctually 
at  once,  but  have  springing  and  germinant  accom- 
plishment throughout  many  ages,  though  the  heighth 
or  fulness  of  them  may  refer  to  some  one  age." 

Such  a  work  would  indeed  be  a  wonderful  confir- 
mation of  our  faith,  it  being  the  prejogative  of  God 
alone,  or  of  those  who  are  commissioned  by  him, 
certainly  to  foretel  future  events  ;  and  the  conse- 
quence is  so  plain  and  necessary,  from  the  believing 
of  prophecies  to  the  believing  of  revelation,  that  an 
infidel  hath  no  way  of  evading  the  conclusion  but  by 
denying  the  premises.  But  why  should  it  be  thought 
at  all  incredible  for  God  upon  special  occasions  to 
foretel  future  events  ?  or  how  could  a  divine  revela- 
tion (onh  supposing  that  there  was  a  divine  revela- 
tion) be  better  attested  and  confirmed  than  by  pro- 
phecies ?  It  is  certain  that  God  hath  perfect  and  most 
exact  knowledge  of  futurity,  and  foresees  all  things 
to  come  as  well  as  comprt-hends  every  thing  past  or 
present.  It  is  certain  too,  that  as  he  knoweth  them 
perfectly  himself,  so  he  may  reveal  them  to  others 
in  what  degrees  and  proportions  he  pleaseth  ;  and 
that  he  actually  hath  revealt-d  them  in  several  instan- 
ces, no  man  can  deny,  every  man  must  acknowledge, 
who  compares  the  several  prophecies  of  scripture 
with  the  events  fulfilling  the  same. 

But  so  many  ages  have  passed  since  the  spirit  of 
prophecy  hath  ceased  in  the  world,  that  several  per- 
sons are  apt  to  imagine,  that  no  such  thing  ever  ex- 
isted, and  that  what  we  call  predictions  are  only  his- 
tories written,  after  the  events  had  happened,  in  a 
prophetic  style  and  manner  :  which  is  easily  said  in- 
deed, but  hath  never  been  proved,  nor  is  there  one 
tolerable  argument  to  prove  it.  On  the  contrary 
there  are  all  the  proofs  and  authorities,  which  can  be 
had  in  cast* s  of  this  nature,  that  the  prophets  prophe- 
sied in  such  and  such  ages,  and  the  events  happened 
afterwards  in  such  and  such  ages  :  and  you  have  as 
much  reason  to  believe  these,  as  you  have  to  believe 


ESTTRODUCTION.  ix 

^ny  ancient  matters  of  fact  whatever;  and  by  the 
same  rule  that  you  deny  these,  you  might  as  well 
deny  the  credibility  of  all  ancient  history. 

But  such  is  the  temper  and  genius  of  infidels  ; 
*  they  understand  neither  what  they  say,  nor  whereof 
they  affirm  ;'  and  so  betray  their  own  ignorance,  ra- 
ther than  acknowledge  the  force  of  divine  truth ;  and 
assert  things  without  the  least  shadow  or  colour  of 
proof,  rather  than  admit  the  strongest  proofs  of  di- 
vine revelation.  It  betrays  ignorance  indeed,  alto- 
gether unworthy  of  persons  of  liberal  education,  not 
to  know  when  such  and  such  authors  flourished,  and 
such  and  such  remarkable  events  happened  ;  and  it 
must  be  something  worse  than  ignorance  to  assert 
things  without  the  least  shadow  or  colour  of  proof, 
contrary  to  all  the  marks  and  characters  by  which 
we  judge  of  the  truth  and  genuineness  of  ancient  au- 
thors, contrary  to  the  whole  tenor  of  history,  both 
sacred  and  profane,  which  in  this  respect  give  won- 
derful light  and  assistance  to  each  other;  and  yet 
these  are  the  men,  who  would  be  thought  to  see  far- 
ther and  to  know  more  than  other  people,  and  will 
believe  nothing  without  evident  proof  and  demon- 
stration. 

The  facts,  say  they,  were  prior  to  the  predictions, 
and  the  prophecies  were  written  after  the  histories. 
But  what  if  we  should  be  able  to  prove  the  truth  of 
prophecy,  and  consequently  the  truth  of  revelation, 
not  by  an  induction  of  particulars  long  ago  foretold, 
and  long  ago  fulfilled,  the  predictions  whereof  you 
may  therefore  suppose  to  have  been  written  after  the 
histories,  but  by  instances  of  things  which  have  con- 
fessedly many  ages  ago  been  foretold,  and  have  in 
these  latter  ages  been  fulfilled,  or  are  fulfilling  at  this 
very  time ;  so  that  you  cannot  possibly  pretend  the 
prophecies  to  have  been  written  after  the  events,  but 
must  acknowledge  the  events  many  ages  after  to  cor- 
respond exactly  with  the  predictions  many  ages  be- 
fore ?    This  province  we  will  now  enter  upon,  this 


X  INTHODUCTION. 

task  we  will  undertake,  and  will  not  only  produce  in- 
stances of  things  foretold  with  the  greatest  clearness 
in  ages  preceding,  and  iulfilled  with  the  greatest  ex- 
actness in  ages  following,  if  there  is  any  truth  in  his- 
tory sacred  or  profane  ;  but  we  will  also  (to  cut  up 
the  ol)jection  entirely  by  the  roots)  insist  chiefly  upon 
such  prophecies,  as  are  known  to  have  been  written 
and  published  in  books  many  ages  ago,  and  yet  are 
receiving  their  completion,  in  part  at  least,  at  this 
very  day. 

For  this  is  one  great  excellency  of  the  evidence 
drawn  from  prophecy  for  the  truth  of  religion,  that 
it  is  a  g-roxuing-  evidence  ;  and  the  more  prophecies 
are  fulfilled,  the  more  testimonies  there  are  and  con- 
firmations of  the  truth  and  certainty  of  divine  reve- 
lation. And  in  this  respect  we  have  eminently  the 
advantage  over  those,  who  lived  even  in  the  days  of 
Moses  and  the  prophets,  of  Christ  and  his  apostles. 
They  were  happy  indeed  in  hearing  their  discourses 
and  seeing  their  miracles,  and  doubtless  *  many  righ- 
teous men  have  desired  to  see  those  things  which 
they  saw  and  have  not  seen  them,  and  to  hear  those 
things  which  they  heard  and  have  not  heard  them  ;' 
Mat.  xiii.  17.  but  yet  I  say  we  have  this  advantage 
over  them,  that  several  things,  v/hich  were  then  only 
foretold,  are  now  fulfilled  ;  and  what  were  to  them 
only  matters  of  faith,  are  become  mattery  of  fact  and 
certainty  to  us,  upon  whom  the  latter  ages  of  the 
world  are  come.  God  in  his  goodness  hath  afforded 
to  every  age  sufficient  evidence  of  the  truth.  Mira- 
cles may  be  said  to  have  been  the  great  proofs  of  re- 
velation to  the  first  ages  who  saw  them  performed, 
Prophecies  may  be  said  to  be  the  great  proofs  of  re- 
velation to  the  last  ages  who  see  them  fulfilled.  All 
pretence  too  for  denying  the  prophecies  of  scripture 
is  by  these  means  absolutely  precluded  ;  for  how  can 
it  be  pretended  that  the  prophecies  were  written  af- 
ter the  events,  when  it  appears  that  the  latest  of  these 
prophecies  were  written  and  published  in  books  near 


INTRODUCTION.  Xl 

1  TOO  years  ago,  and  the  events  have,  many  of  them, 
been  accomplished  several  ages  after  the  predictions, 
or  perhaps  are  accomplishing  in  the  world  at  this 
present  time  ?  You  are  therefore  reduced  to  this  ne- 
cessity, that  you  must  either  renounce  your  senses, 
and  deny  what  you  may  read  in  your  bibles,  together 
with  what  you  may  see  and  observe  in  the  world; 
or  else  must  acknowledge  the  truth  of  prophecy,  and 
in  consequence  of  that  the  truth  of  divine  revelation. 
Many  of  the  principal  prophecies  of  scripture  will, 
by  these  means,  come  under  our  consideration,  and 
they  may  be  best  considered  with  a  view  to  the  se- 
ries and  order  of  time.  The  subject  is  curious  as  it 
is  important,  and  will  be  very  well  worth  my  pains 
and  your  attention  ;  and  though  it  turn  chiefly  upon 
points  of  learning,  yet  I  shall  endeavour  to  render  it 
as  intelligible,  and  agreeable,  and  edifying  as  I  can 
to  all  sorts  of  readers.  It  is  hoped  the  work  will 
prove  the  more  generally  acceptable,  as  it  will  not 
consist  merely  of  abstract  speculative  divinity,  but 
will  be  enlivened  with  a  proper  intermixture  of  his- 
tory, and  will  include  several  of  the  most  material 
transactions  from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this 
day. 


To  this  edition  various  notes  are  added,  particu- 
larly at  the  commencement  and  close  of  the  work, 
with  a  view  of  illustrating  the  observations  of  the  ex- 
cellent author,  and  showing  how  time  continues  to 
confirm  the  prophecies  of  the  divine  word.  Nearly 
sixty  years  have  elapsed  since  our  author  wrote. 
Subsequent  events,  to  an  important  extent,  confirm 
the  persuasion  that  "  the  word  of  the  Lord  is  true 
and  righteous  altogether." 


CONTENTS 

OF 

VOL.  I. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Page  7—11. 
Pr(3phecies  one  of  the  strongest  proofs  of  revelation,  p.  7.  A 
history  of  prophecy  desired  by  Lord  Bacon,  7.  The  conse- 
quence plain  from  the  believing  of  prophecies  to  the  believ- 
ing of  revelation,  8.  The  objection  that  the  prophecies  were 
written  after  the  events,  groundless,  and  betrays  great  igno- 
i*ance,  or  something  worse,  9.  The  truth  of  prophecy  may 
be  proved  by  instances  of  things  fulfilling  at  this  very  time,  9. 
The  evidence  drawn  from  prophecy,  a  growing  evidence,  10. 
Miracles  the  great  proofs  of  revelation  to  the  first  ages.  Pro- 
phecies to  the  last,  10.  The  necessity  to  which  infidels  are 
reduced,  either  to  renounce  their  senses,  or  to  admit  the  truth 
of  revelation,  11.  Most  of  the  principal  prophecies  of  scrip- 
ture will  be  comprehended  in  this  work,  as  well  as  several  of 
the  most  material  transactions  in  history,  11. 

DISSERTxlTION  I. 

NOAH'S  PROPHECY. 

p.  25—42. 
Very  few  prophecies  till  Noah,  p.  25.  Noah*s  drunkenness,  and 
the  behaviour  of  his  sons  thereupon,  26.  In  consequence  of 
their  different  behaviour  he  was  enabled  to  foretel  the  differ- 
ent fortunes  of  their  families,  27.  The  prophecy,  27.  Not 
to  be  understood  of  particular  persons,  but  of  whole  nations, 
27,  28.  The  curse  upon  Canaan,  a  curse  upon  the  Canaanites 
for  their  wickedness,  28.  The  wickedness  of  the  Canaanites 
very  great,  29.  The  curse  particularly  implies  the  subjection 
of  the  descendants  of  Canaan  to  the  descendants  of  Shem  and 
Japheih,  30.  The  completion  of  this  shown  from  the  time 
of  Joshua  to  this  day,  31.  A  different  reading  proposed  of' 
VOL.    I.  B 


XIV  CONTENTS. 

Ham  the  fatlier  of  Canaan  instead  of  Canaan,  32.  The  curse 
in  tills  larger  sense  also  shown  to  be  fulfilled  from  the  earliest 
times  to  the  present,  33,  34  The  promise  lo  Shem  of  the 
Lord  being  his  God,  how  fulfilled,  34.  The  promise  of  en- 
largement to  Japheth,  an  allusion  to  his  name,  A5.  How  ful- 
filled both  in  former  and  in  later  times,  36.  The  following 
clause,  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem,  capable  of 
two  senses,  and  in  both  punctually  fulfilled,  37.  Conclusion, 
57.  A  mistake  of  Mr.  Mede  corrected,  38.  Lord  Bolingbroke 
censured  for  his  indecent  reflections  on  this  prophecj',  39. 
His  ignorance  about  the  Codex  Alexandrinus,  40.  His  blun- 
der about  the  Roman  historians,  40,  41,  His  sneer  about  be- 
lievers refuted,  41.  Condemned  by  himself,  41.  Had  great 
talents,  but  misapplied  them,  42. 


DISSERTATION  II. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  ISHMAEL. 

p.  42—58. 
Abraham  favoured  wnth  several  revelations,  p.  42.  Those  con- 
cerning Ishmael  or  the  Ishmaelites,  42.  The  promise  of  a 
numerous  posterity,  how  fulfilled,  43.  The  promise  of  twelve 
princes,  how  fulfilled,  44.  The  promise  of  a  great  nation, 
how  fulfilled,  44.  The  saying  that  he  should  be  a  wild  man, 
how  fulfilled,  45.  The  saying  that  his  hand  should  be  against 
every  man  and  every  man's  hand  against  him,  how  fulfilled, 
46.  The  saying  that  he  should  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all 
his  brethren,  how  fulfilled,  46.  The  Ishmaelites  or  Arabians 
have  fi-om  first  to  last  maintained  their  independency,  47. 
Against  the  Egyptians  and  Assyrians,  48.  Against  the  Per- 
sians, 48.  Against  Alexander  and  his  successoi^s,  48,  49. 
Against  the  Romans,  49.  Their  state  under  Mohammed,  and 
since  his  time,  and  now  under  the  Turks,  50,  51.  Dr.  Shaw's 
account  of  them,  53.  Bishop  Pocock's,  53.  And  Mr.  Han- 
way's,  54.  Conclusion,  55.  Wonderful  that  they  shotdd  re- 
tain the  same  manners  for  so  many  ages,  56.  More  wonderful 
that  they  should  still  remain  a  free  people,  57.  The  Jews  and 
Arabs  in  some  respects  resemble  each  other,  57,  58. 


CONTENTS.  Xy 

DISSERTATION  III. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  JACOB  AND  ESAU. 

p.  58—71. 
More  prophecies  concerning-  the  posterity  of  Isaac  than  of  Ish- 
mael,  p.  58  The  promise  of  the  blessed  sctd,  how  fulfilled, 
58.  The  promise  of  the  land  of  Canaan,  how  fulfilled,  58,  59. 
The  p  omise  of  a  numerous  posterity,  how  fulfilled,  59.  The 
promises  concerning-  Esau  and  Jacob,  60.  Not  verified  in 
themselves,  but  in  their  posterity,  61.  Comprehend  several 
particulars,  61.  I.  The  families  of  Esau  and  Jacob  two  differ- 
ent people  and  nations,  62,  63.  11.  The  family  of  the  elder 
subject  lo  that  of  the  younger,  64,  65.  111.  In  situation  and 
other  temporal  advantages  much  alike,  65,  66.  IV.  The  el- 
der branch  delighted  more  in  war  and  violence,  but  subdued 
by  the  younger,  67,  68.  V  The  elder  at  one  time  shook  ofiT 
the  dominion  of  the  younger,  68,  69.  YI.  In  all  spiritual  gifts 
and  graces  the  younger  superior,  and  the  happy  instrument 
of  conveying  the  blessing  to  all  nations,  69,  70.  Conclusion^ 
70.  The  prophecies  fulfilled  in  the  utter  destruction  of  the 
Edomites,  70,  71. 


DISSERTATION  IV. 

JACOB'S  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  HIS  SONS, 
PARTICULARLY  JUDAH. 

p.  71-89. 
An  opinion  of  great  antiquity,  that  the  soul  near  death  grew 
prophetic,  71.  Jacob  upon  his  death-bed  foretold  his  sons 
what  should  befal  them  in  the  last  days,  the  meaning  of  that 
phrase,  73.  Jacob  bequeaths  the  temporal  blessing  to  all  his 
sons,  the  spiritual  to  Judah,  74.  Tiie  prophecies  concerning 
several  tribes,  how  fulfilled,  75.  The  temporal  blessing  how 
fulfilled  to  Judah,  76.  The  spiritual  blessing,  77-  I.  An  ex- 
planation of  the  words  and  meaning  of  the  prophecy,  77 — 83. 
The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  explained,  77 ^  78. 
Nor  a  law-giver  from  between  his  feet,  explained,  79.  Shiloh 
in  all  the  various  senses  of  the  word  shown  to  be  the  Mes- 
siah, 80.  Le  Clerc's  singular  interpretation,  81.  J-T'/s  as  well 
as  Christians  have  by  Shiloh  generally  understood  the  Mes- 
siah, 82.  And  unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be, 
capable  of  three  different  constructions,  82,  85.  II.  The  com- 
pletion of  the  prophecy,  83 — 89.    Judah  hereby  constituted  a. 


xvi  Contents. 

tribe  or  body  politic,  and  so  continued  till  the  coming  of  the 
Messiah  and  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  83 — 85.  The  lat- 
ter clause  fulfilled  in  the  first  sense,  and  the  people  gathered 
to  Judah,  85.  Fulfilled  in  the  second  sense,  and  the  people 
gathered  to  the  Messiah,  86.  Fulfilled  in  the  last  sense,  and 
the  people  gathered  to  the  Messiah  before  the  sceptre's  de- 
parture, 87.  The  prophecy  with  regard  to  Benjamin  fulfilled, 
88.     Conclusion  that  Jesus  is  the  Messiah,  88,  89. 


DISSERTATION  V. 

BALAAM'S  PROPHECIES. 

p.  89—113. 
The  gift  of  prophecy  not  always  confined  to  the  chosen  seed,  or 
to  good  men,  p.  89.  Balaam  both  a  heathen  and  an  immoral 
man,  90.  A  ceremony  among  the  Heathens  to  curse  their 
enemies,  91.  The  story  of  Balaam's  ass  considered,  91.  A 
proper  sign  to  Balaam,  and  the  prophecies  render  the  mira- 
cle more  credible,  93.  The  style  of  his  prophecies  beautiful, 
94.  His  prophecy  of  the  singular  character  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion, how  fulfilled'  even  to  this  day,  95.  His  prophecy  of  their 
victories  much  the  same  as  Jacob's  and  Isaac's,  96  His  pro- 
phecy of  a  king  higher  than  Agag,  how  fulfilled,  96.  His  pro- 
face  to  his  latter  prophecies  explained,  98.  His  prophecy  of 
a  star  and  sceptre  to  smite  the  princes  of  Moabj  how  fulfilled 
by  David,  99.  Who  meant  by  the  sons  of  Sheth,  99.  His 
prophecy  ag-ainst  the  Edomifes,  how  fulfilled  by  David,  101. 
This  prophecy  of  the  star  and  the  sceptre  applied  by  most 
Jewish  and  Christian  writers  to  tlie  Messiah,  101,  102.  But 
principally  to  be  understood  of  David,  103.  His  prophecy 
against  the  Amalekites,  how  fulfilled,  104.  His.  prophecy 
against  the  Kenites,  and  who  the  Kenites  were,  106.  How 
fulfilled,  107.  His  prophecy  of  ships  from  the  coast  of  Chit- 
tim,  108.  The  land  of  Chittim  shown  to  be  a  general  name 
for  Greece,  Italy,  and  the  countries  and  islands  in  the  Medi- 
terranean, 109.  How  afflict  Ashur,  111.  How  afflict  Eber, 
and  who  meant  by  Eber,  111.  How  perish  for  ever,  112. 
Conclusion,  113. 


CONTENTS.  XVll 


DISSERTATION  YI. 

MOSES'  PROPHECY  OF  A  PROPHET  UKE  UNTO 
HIMSELF. 

p.  113—124. 
Moses  hath  not  only  preserved  several  ancient  prophecies,  but 
hath  likewise  inserted  several  of  his  own,  p.  113.  His  pro- 
phecy of  another  prophet  like  unto  himself,  113.  1.  What 
prophet  was  here  particularly  intended,  114 — 118.  The  Mes- 
siah principally,  if  not  solely,  114.  Proved  from  the  conclu- 
sion of  the  book  of  Deuteronomy,  115.  From  God's  declara- 
tion to  Miriam  and  Aaron,  116.  From  the  text  itself,  ilG. 
From  this  prophet's  being-  a  lawg-iver,  116.  From  fact,  117. 
11.  The  g-reat  likeness  between  Moses  and  Christ,  118 — 122. 
Christ  resembled  Moses  in  more  respects  than  any  other  per- 
son ever  did,  118.  The  comparison  between  them  as  drawn 
by  Eusebius,  119.  As  enlarged  and  improved  by  Dr.  Jortin, 
119,  120.  His  conchision  from  thence,  122.  HI.  The  punish- 
ment of  the  people  for  their  infidelity  and  disobedience  to 
this  prophet,  122—124. 

DISSERTATION  YII. 

PROPHECIES  OF  MOSES  CONCERNING  THE  JEWS. 

p.  124—138. 
Prophecies  of  Moses  abound  n^ost  in  the  latter  part  of  his  wri- 
tings, 124.  The  28th  of  Deuteronomy  a  lively  picture  of  the 
state  of  the  Jews  at  present,  124.  Prop!iecy  of  their  enemies 
coming-  from  far,  how  fulfilled,  125.  Prophecy  of  the  cruelty 
of  their  enemies,  how  fulfilled,  126.  Of  the  sieg-es  of  their 
cities,  126.  Of  their  distress  and  famine  in  the  sieges,  127. 
Of  women  eating-  their  own  children,  128.  Of  their  great  ca- 
lamities and  slaughters,  130.  Of  their  being  carried  into 
Egypt,  and  sold  for  slaves  at  a  low  price,  130.  Of  their  be- 
ing plucked  from  off  their  own  land,  131,  132.  Of  their  be- 
ing dispersed  into  all  nations,  133.  Of  their  still  subsisting 
as  a  distinct  people,  133.  Of  their  finding  no  rest,  133.  Of 
their  being  oppressed  and  spoiled,  134.  Of  their  children  ta- 
ken from  them,  135.  Of  their  madness  and  desperation,  135. 
Of  their  serving  otlier  gods,  136.  Of  their  becoming  a  pro- 
verb, and  a  by-word,  137.  Of  the  long  continuance  of  them, 
137.    Conclusion,  138. 

B  2 


XViU  CONTENTS. 


DISSERTATION  VIII. 

PROPHECIES  OF  OTHER  PROPHETS  CONCERNING 
THt:  JEWS. 

p.  138—163. 
Other  prophecies  relative  to  ihe  present  state  of  the  Jews,  p. 
138.  I.  The  prophecies  concerning-  the  restoration  of  the  two 
tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  and  the  dissolution  of  the  ten 
tribes,  139 — 146.  The  restoration  of  the  two  tribes  foretold 
to  be  after  70  years,  139.  Fulfilled  at  three  periods,  139.  The 
ten  tribes  to  cease  from  being*  a  people  within  65  years,  144. 
The  prophecy  how  fulfilled,  141.  What  is  become  of  them 
since,  and  where  are  they  at  present,  142.  Vain  conjectures 
of  the  Jews  thereupon,  142,  143.  Not  all  returned  with  the 
two  tribes,  143.  Not  all  swallowed  up  and  lost  among-  the 
heathen  nations,  144.  Whether  they  remained,  or  wliether 
they  returned,  they  ceased  from  being  a  distinct  people,  and 
were  all  comprehended  under  the  name  of  Jews,  144,  145. 
The  reason  of  this  distinction  between  the  two  tribes  and 
the  ten  tribes,  146.  II.  The  preservation  of  the  Jews,  and 
the  destruction  of  their  enemies,  146 — 149.  The  preserva- 
tion of  the  Jews,  one  of  the  most  illustrious  acts  of  divine 
providence,  147.  Nor  less  the  providence  of  God  in  the  de- 
struction of  their  enemies,  148.  Not  only  nations  but  sing-le 
persons,  149.  HI.  The  desolation  of  Judea  another  memora- 
ble instance  of  the  truth  of  prophecy,  149 — 155.  Foretold  by 
the  prophets,  149.  The  present  state  of  Judea  answerable  to 
the  prophecies,  150.  No  objection  from  hence  to  its  having 
been  a  land  flowing-  with  milk  and  honey,  151.  The  ancients. 
Heathens  as  well  as  Jews  testify  it  to  have  been  a  g-ood  land, 
151.  Mr.  Maundrell's  account  of  its  present  state,  152,  153. 
Dr.  Shaw's,  152.  IV.  The  prophecies  of  the  infidelity  and 
reprobation  of  the  Jews,  how  fulfilled,  155—157.  V.  Of  the 
calling  and  obedience  of  the  Gentiles,  157.  This  revolution 
effected  by  ir»competent  persons,  and  in  a  short  time,  159. 
The  prophecies  concerning  the  Jews  and  Gentiles  have  not 
yet  received  their  entire  completion,  159.  What  hath  been 
5iccomplislied  a  sufficient  pledge  of  what  is  to  come,  159,  160. 
Conclusion  dissuading  all  i)ersecution,  and  recommending  hu- 
manity and  charity  to  the  Jews,  161 — 163. 


CONTENTS.  XIX 


DISSERTATION  IX. 

THE  PROPHECIKS  CONCERNING  NINEVEH. 

p.  163— -181. 
Some  prophecies  relating-  to  other  nations  which  had  connec- 
tions with  the  Jews,  163.  Want  of  ancient  eastern  historians 
to  clear  up  the  prophecies,  163.  The  Assyrians  terrible  ene- 
mies to  bolh  Israel  and  Judah,  164.  Isaiah's  prophecy  against 
the  Assyrians,  165.  Nineveh,  the  capital  of  (lie  Assyrian  em- 
pire, a  most  ancient  city,  166.  An  cxceedinir  great  city  like- 
wise, and  the  scripture-account  confirmed  by  heathen  authors, 
167.  Like  other  great  cities  very  corrupt,  but  king-  and  peo- 
ple repented,  at  the  preaching-  of  Jonuh,  169.  Some  inquiry 
who  this  king-  was,  and  at  what  time  Jonah  prophesied,  170. 
Their  repentance  of  short  continuance,  for  Nahvmi  not  long 
after  foretold  the  destruction  of  the  city,  170,  171.  Some  in- 
quiry when  Nahum  prophesied,  172.  Nineveh  accordingly 
destroyed  by  the  Medes  and  Babylonians,  172.  Some  inquiry 
by  whom  particularly,  173.  Nahum's  prophecies  of  the  man- 
ner of  its  destruction  exactly  fulfilled  according  to  the  ac- 
counts of  Diodorus  Siculus,  173,  174.  Nahum  and  Zephaniah 
foretold  its  total  destruction  contrary  to  all  probability,  i76, 
177.  These  pi-edictions  fulfilled  according  to  the  accounts  of 
the  ancients,  178.  According  to  the  accounts  of  tJie  moderns, 
179,  180.     Conclusion,  180,  181. 


DISSERTATION  X. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  BABYLON. 

p.  181—203. 
Babylon  as  w^ell  as  Nineveh  an  enemy  to  the  people  of  God,  181. 
A  very  great  and  very  ancient  city,  181.  Considerably  im- 
proved by  Nebuchadnezzai-,  182.  One  of  the  wonders  of  the 
world,  183.  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  foretold  its  destruction,  183, 
184.  Prophecies  of  Cyrus  the  conqueror  of  Babylon,  fulfilled, 
184.  The  time  of  the  reduction  of  Babylon  foretold,  185.  Se- 
veral circumstances  of  tlie  siege  foretold,  185.  Besieged  by 
the  Medes  and  Elamites  or  Persians,  185,  186.  Armenians  and 
other  nations  united  against  it,  187.  The  Babylonians  hide 
themselves  within  their  walls,  187  The  river  driefl  up,  188. 
The  city  taken  during  a  feast,  189.  The  facis  related  by  He- 
rodotus and  Xenophon,  and  therefore  no  room  for  scepticism, 
189.    The  prophets  foretold  its  total  desolation,  190.    These 


XX  CONTENTS. 

prophecies  to  be  fulfilled  by  degrees,  191,  193.  Its  state  un- 
der Cyrus,  192.  Under  Darius,  192.  Under  Xerxes,  193.  Un- 
der Alexander  and  afterwards,  194,  195.  The  accounts  of  it 
since  that  time,  by  Diodorus,  195.  Strabo,  196.  Pliny,  196. 
Pausanias,  196.  Maxinnus  Tyrius  and  Lucian,  197  Jerome, 
197.  Accounts  of  later  authors,  of  Benjamin  of  Tudela,  197. 
Texeira,  198.  Hauwolf,  198.  Peter  de  la  Valle,  199.  Ta- 
vernier,  199.  Mr.  Salmon,  200.  Mr.  Hanway,  200.  By  these 
accounts  it  appears  how  punctually  tlie  prophecies  have  been 
fulfilled,  201.  Conclusion  ;  such  prophecies  a  convincing-  ar- 
gument  of  the  divinity  of  the  scriptures,  and  likewise  instan- 
ces of  fine  writing,  and  of  the  spirit  of  liberty,  202,  203. 


DISSERTATION  XI. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  TYRE. 

p.  203—225. 
Tyre,  another  enemy  to  the  Jews,  its  fall  predicted  by  Isaiak 
and  Ezekiel,  p.  203.  The  prophecies  relate  to  both  old  and 
new  Tyre,  203.  A  very  ancient  city,  205.  The  daughter  of 
Sidon,  but  in  time  excelled  the  mother,  and  became  a  mart 
of  nations,  206.  In  this  flourishing  condition,  when  the  pro- 
phets foretold  her  destruction,  for  her  pride,  and  wickedness, 
and  cruelty  to  the  Jews,  207,  208.  Several  particulars  inclu- 
ded in  the  prophecies,  209.  I.  The  city  to  be  taken  and  de- 
stroyed by  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Chaldeans,  209 — 211. 
II.  The  inhabitants  to  pass  over  the  Mediterranean,  but  to 
find  no  rest,  211—214.  HI.  The  city  to  be  restored  after  70 
years,  214,  215.  IV.  To  be  taken  and  destroyed  again,  215, 
216.  V.  The  people  to  forsake  idolatry,  and  become  con- 
verts to  the  true  religion,  218,  219.  VI.  The  city  at  last  to 
be  totally  destroyed,  and  become  a  place  for  fishers «to  spread 
their  nets  upon,  220.  These  prophecies  to  be  fulfilled  by  de- 
grees, 221  A  short  account  of  the  place  from  the  time  of 
Nebuchadnezzar  to  the  present,  221,  222.  Huetius'  account 
of  it,  222.  Dr.  Shaw's,  223.  Mr.  Maundrell's,  223.  Conclu- 
sion with  some  reflections  upon  trade,  224,  225. 


DISSERTATION  XII. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  EGYPT. 

p.  225—253. 
T.gypt  famous  for  its  antiquity,  p.  225.     No  less  celebrated  for 
its  wisdom,  226.    The  parent  of  superstition  as  well  as  the 


CONTENTS.  XXI 

mistress  of  leaniing-,  227-  Had  such  connections  with  the 
Jews,  that  it  is  made  the  subject  of  several  prophecies,  227". 
The  phruse.of  the  burden  of  Kg-ypt  considered  iind  explained, 
227 — 229.  I.  Its  conquest  by  Nebuchudnezxar  foretold  by 
Jeremiah  and  Ezekiel,  229.  How  fulfilled,  229—232.  H.  Its 
conquest  by  the  Persians  foretold  by  Isaiah,  and  how  fulfilled, 
232 — 236.  111.  Its  conquest  by  Alexander  foretold  by  Isaiah, 
and  at  the  same  time  the  spreading  of  the  true  religion  in  the 
land,  236,  237.  How  fulfilled,  237--241.  IV.  Tlie  prophecy 
of  Ezekiel,  that  it  should  be  a  base  tributary  kingdom,  241. 
The  truth  of  it  shown  by  a  short  deduction  of  the  history  of 
Ei?ypt  from  that  time  to  this,  242 — 253.  Its  state  under  the 
Babylonians,  242.  Under  the  Persians,  243 — 245.  Under  ihe 
Macedonians,  245.  Under  the  Romans,  246.  Under  Uie  Sa- 
racens with  the  burning-  of  the  Alexandrian  Library,  247 — 
249.  Under  the  Mamalucs,  249.  Under  the  Turks,  250.  No 
one  could  have  foretold  this  upon  hiuTian  conjecture,  251. 
Conclusion  with  some  reflections  upon  the  character  of  the 
Eg'}ptians,  as  drawn  by  ancient  and  modern  authors,  251 — 
253. 


DISSERTATION  XIII. 

NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S  DREAM  OF  THE  GREAT 
._  EMPIRES. 

p.  253— 278, 
Some  prophecies  relating  to  inore  remote  nations,  p  253.  The 
genuineness  of  Daniel's  prophecies  denied  by  Porphyry  and 
Collins,  but  suihciently  vindicaled,  254.  Tiie  credit  of  Da- 
niel as  a  prophet  established  by  prophecies  fulfilling  at  this 
time,  255.  Daniel's  first  prophecy,  his  interpretation  of  Ne- 
buchadnezzar's dream,  with  tiie  occu.sion  of  it,  255 — 257. 
A  great  human  figure  not  an  improper  emblem  of  human 
power,  and  the  various  parts  and  metals  signify  various  king- 
doms, 257.  I.  Tlie  head  of  fine  gold,  or  the  Babylonian  em- 
pire, 258,  259.  The  extent  of  it  shown  from  heathen  authors, 
259,  260.  H.  The  breast  and  arms  of  silver,  or  the  Medo- 
Persian  empire,  260.  Whv  said  to  be  inferior,  and  how  long 
it  lasted,  261.  III.  The  belly  and  thighs  of  brass,  or  the  Ma- 
cedonian empire,  261.  Why  said  to  bear  rule  over  all  the 
earth,  261.  The  kingdom  of  Alexander  and  of  his  successors 
not  two  different  kingdoms,  263.  Spoken  of  as  one  and  the 
same  by  ancient  authors,  263.  IV.  The  legs  of  iron,  and  feet 
part  of  iron  and  part  of  claj-,  or  the  fourth  en»pire,  264.  Far- 
ther proofs  that  t.-iC  kingdoms  of  the  Seleucida;  and  Lagidx 
cannot  be  the  fourth  kingdom,  265.     This  description  appli- 


XXll  CONTENTS. 

cable  only  to  the  Roman  empire,  265,  266.  So  St.  Jerome  ex- 
plains it,  and  all  ancient  writers  both  Jewish  and  Christian, 
266,  267.  V.  The  stone  that  brake  the  image,  or  the  fifth 
empire,  267  Cannot  be  the  Roman,  268.  Can  be  understood 
only  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  268,  269  Represented  in  two 
states,  as  a  stone,  and  as  a  mountain,  269,  270.  This  inter- 
pretation confirmed  by  ancient  writers,  both  Jews  and  Chris- 
tians, and  particularly  by  Jonathan  Ben  Uziel,  who  made  the 
Chaldee  paraphrase  upon  the  prophets,  270.  The  sense  of 
Josephus  with  Bishop  Chandler's  reflections  upon  it,  271,  272. 
The  ancient  Christians  give  the  same  interpretation,  272.  St. 
Chrysostom's  comment,  273.  The  exposition  of  Sulpicius 
Severus,  274.  Conclusion,  275.  Hence  we  are  enabled  to 
account,  for  Nebuchadnezzar's  prophecy,  and  the  Delphic 
oracle,  276.  Hence  the  distinction  of  four  great  empires,  and 
why  only  these  four  predicted,  277,  278. 


DISSERTATION  XIV. 

DANIEL'S  VISION  OF  THE  SAME. 

p.  278—311. 
What  was  exhibited  to  Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  form  of  a  great 
image,  was  represented  to  Daniel  in  the  shape  of  great  wild 
beasts,  and  why,  278,  279.  I  The  Babylonian  empire  why 
compared  to  a  lion,  279.  Why  with  eagle's  Avings,  279.  Why 
with  a  man's  heart,  280.  II.  The  Persian  empire,  why  com- 
pared to  a  bear,  281.  How  raised  up  itself  on  one  side,  and 
had  three  ribs  in  the  mouth,  281.  Its  cruelty,  282.  111.  The 
Macedonian  empire,  why  compared  to  a  leopard,  283.  Why 
with  four  wings  and  four  heads,  and  dominion  given  to  it, 
284.  IV.  The  Roman  empire  compared  to  a  terrible  beast 
without  a  name,  284.  The  kingdoms  of  the  Seleucidx  and 
Lagidx,  can  in  no  respect  answer  to  this  description,  285. 
The  Roman  empire  answers  exactly.  A  memorable  quotation 
to  this  purpose,  from  Dionysius  of  Halicarnassus,  287-  This 
beast  had  ten  horns  or  kingdoms,  and  the  kingdoms  of  Egypt 
and  Syria  were  never  so  divided,  288.  The  notions  of  Por- 
phyry, Grotius,  and  Collins,  refuted,  289.  The  ten  kingdoms 
to  be  sought  amid  the  broken  pieces  of  the  Roman  empire, 

289.  The  ten  kingdoms,  according  to  Machiavel,  289.  Ac- 
cording to  Mr.  Mede,  290.  According  to  Bishop  Lloyd,  290. 
According  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  290.  The  same  number  since, 

290.  How  they  stood  in  the  eighth  century,  291.  A  little 
liorn  to  rise  up  among  the  ten,  292  The  notion  of  Grotius 
and  Collins,  that  Antiochus  Epiphanes  was  the  little  horn, 
refuted,  292,  293.    An  inquiry  proposed  into  the  sense  of  the; 


CONTENTS.  XXlll 

ancients,  293.  The  opinion  of  Irenaeus,  293.  Of  St.  Cyril  at 
Jerusalem,  294.  Of  Si.  Jerome  with  Theodoret  and  St.  Aus- 
tin 293.  The  fathei's  had  some  mistaken  notions  concerning 
Antichiist,  and  how  it  came  to  pass  they  had  such,  196 — 298. 
Tlie  little  horn  to  be  soug-ht  among-  the  ten  kingdoms  of  the 
western  Roman  empire,  298.  Machiavel  himself  points  out  a 
little  horn  spnng-uig-  up  among  the  ten,  299.  Three  of  the 
first  horns  to  tall  before  him,  299.  The  three  according  to  Mr. 
Mede,  299.  According  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  300.  Something 
to  be  approved,  and  something  to  be  disapproved  in  both 
their  plans,  300.  The  first  of  the  three  horns,  the  exarchate 
of  Ravenna,  301.  The  second,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards, 
302.  The  third,  the  state  of  Rome,  303.  The  character  an- 
swers in  all  other  respects,  304.  How  long  Antichrist  to 
contintie,  305,  306.  V.  All  these  kingdoms  to  be  succeeded 
by  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  307.  This  and  the  former 
prophecy  compared  together,  309.  They  extend  from  the 
reign  of  the  Babylonians  to  the  consummation  of  all  things,, 
310.  Will  cast  light  upon  the  subseqtient  prophecies,  and 
the  subseqtient  prophecies  reflect  light  upon  them  again,  311; 
Conclusion,  311. 


INTRODUCTION  TO  THE  LECTURE  FOUNDED  BY  THE 
HONOURABLE  ROBERT  BOYLE. 

p.  312—322. 
How  and  by  whom  the  author  was  appointed  to  preach  the 
Boyle's  Lecture,  312,  313.  Previous  to  the  farther  explana- 
tion of  Daniel,  a  vindication  is  proposed  of  the  genuineness  of 
his  prophecies,  against  the  principal  objections  of  unbelie- 
vers, 313.  Collins'  eleven  objections,  particularly  considered 
and  refuted,  313.  His  first  objection,  relating  to  the  age  of 
Daniel,  refuted,  314.  His  second  objection,  relating  to  the 
mistake  of  the  kings  names,  and  to  Nebuchadnezzar's  mad- 
ness, refuted,  314.  His  third  objection,  relating  to  the  Greek 
words  found  in  Daniel,  refuted,  315.  His  fourth  objection, 
relating  to  the  version  of  the  Seventy,  refuted,  316.  His  fifth 
objection,  drawn  from  the  clearness  of  Daniel's  prophecies  to 
the  times  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  refuted,  316.  His  sixth 
objection,  drawn  from  the  omission  of  Daniel  in  the  book  of 
Ecclesiasticus,  refuted,  317.  His  seventh  objection,  relating 
Jonathan's  making  no  Targum  on  Daniel,  refuted,  317.  His 
eighth  objection,  drawn  from  the  style  of  Daniel's  Chaldee, 
refuted,  318.  His  ninth  objection,  drawn  from  the  forgeries 
of  the  Jews,  refuted,  319.  His  tenth  objection,  drawn  from 
Daniel's  uncommon  punctuality  in  fixing  the  times,  refuted, 
319.  His  eleventh  objection,  relating  to  Daniel's  setting  forth 


Xxiv  CONTENTS. 

facts  very  imperfectly,  and  contrary  to  other  histories,  and  to 
his  dark  and  emblematic  style,  refuted,  320.  The  external 
and  internal  evidence  for  the  genuineness  of  the  book  of  Da- 
niel, 321.  The  division  of  the  remainder  of  this  work,  agree- 
able* to  the  design  of  the  honourable  founder,  321.  From  the 
instance  of  this  excellent  person,  and  some  others,  it  is  shown 
that  philosophy  and  religion  may  weU  consist  and  agree  to- 
gether, 322. 


DISSERTATIONS 


ON  THE 


PROPHECIES, 


NOAH'S  PROPHECY. 

THE  first  prophecy  that  occurs  in  scripture,  is  that 
part  of  the  sentence  pronounced  upon  the  serpent,  which 
IS,  as  I  may  say,  the  first  opening  of  Christianity,  the  first 
promise  of  our  redemption.  We  read  in  P^.-csis,  iii.  15. 
■'  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and  ^  vvoman,  and  be- 
tween thy  seed  and  her  seed ;  it  siua  bruise  thy  head, 
and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel.'  If  you  understand  this 
In  the  sense  which  is  commonly  put  upon  it  by  Christian 
interpreters,  you  have  a  remarkable  prophecy,  and  re- 
markably fulfilled.  Taken  in  any  other  sense,  it  is  not 
worthy  of  Moses,  nor  indeed  of  any  sensible  writer. 

The  history  of  the  antediluvian  times  is  very  short  and 
concise,  and  there  are  only  a  few  prophecies  relating  to 
the  deluge.  As  Noah  was  a  preacher  of  righteousness  to 
the  old  world,  so  he  was  a  prophet  to  the  new,  and  was 
enabled  to  predict  the  future  condition  of  his  posterity, 
which  is  a  subject  that  upon  many  accounts  requires  a 
particular  discussion. 

It  is  an  excellent  character  that  is  given  of  Noah,  Gen. 
vi.  9. '  Noah  was  a  just  man,  and  perfect  in  his  genera- 
tions, and  Noah  walked  with  God.*  But  the  best  of  men 
are  not  without  their  infirmities :  and  Noah,  Gen.  ix.  20, 

VOL.    I.  c 


26  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

&CC.  having  «  planted  a  vineyard,  and  drank  of  the  wine,' 
became  inebriated,  not  knowing  perhaps  the  nature  and 
strength  of  the  liquor,  or  being  through  age  incapable  of 
bearing  it :  and  Moses  is  so  faithful  an  historian,  that  he 
records  the  failings  and  imperfections  of  the  most  vene- 
rable patriarchs,  as  well  as  their  merits  and  virtues.  Noah 
in  this  condition  lay  *  uncovered  within  his  tent :  and  Ham 
the  father  of  Canaan  saw  the  nakedness  of  his  father  ;*  and 
instead  of  concealing  his  weakness,  as  a  good-natured  man, 
or  at  least  a  dutiful  son  would  have  done,  he  cruelly  ex- 
posed it '  to  his  two  brethren  without.*  But  *  Shem  and 
Japheth,*  more  compassionate  to  the  infirmities  of  their 
aged  father, '  took  a  garment'  and  '  went  backward,'  with 
such  decency  and  respect,  that  they  *  saw  not  the  naked- 
ness of  their  father'  at  the  same  time  that  they  '  covered 
it.*  When  *  Noah  awoke  from  his  wine '  he  was  informed 
of  *  what  his  younger  son  had  done  unto  him.*  The  word* 
in  the  original  signifies  his  little  son;  and  some  f  com- 
mentators therefore,  on  account  of  what  follows,  have  im- 
agined that  Canaan  joined  with  his  father  Ham  in  this 
mockery  and  insult  upon  Noah  ;  and  the  \  Jewish  rabbins 
hwVe  a  tradition,  that  Canaan  was  the  first  who  saw  Noah 
in  this  pOP^^ure,  and  then  went  and  called  his  father  Ham, 
and  concurrea  with  him  in  ridiculing  and  exposing  the 
^)ld  man.  But  this  '.^  a  very  arbitrary  method  of  interpre- 
uuion ;  no  mention  was  made  before  of  Canaan  and  of 
what  he  had  done,  but  only  of  Ham  the  father  of  Ca- 
naan ;'  and  of  him  therefore  must  the  phrase  of  little  son^ 
or  youngest  soriy  be  naturally  and  necessarily  understood. 

*  The  Hebrew  word  Jvatan  signifies  little,  less,  least. 

f  Hence  it  is  inferred  with  great  probability,  that  he  (Canaan) 
was  a  companion  with  liis  father  in  his  transgression.  See  Pis- 
rator  in  Pool's  Synopsis  on  Cen.  ix.  25. 

t  See  Origen  on  the  book  of  Genesis,  page  33.  of  Vol.  II.  in  the 
Benedictine  Edition.  It  is  a  question  that  has  been  greatly  agi- 
tated, why  the  curse  due  to  Ham  should  have  been  denounced 
by  Noah  against  Canaan.  Theodoret  answers  this  in  liis  57tii 
question  on  the  book  of  Genesis,  that  he  had  learned  ft-om  a  cer- 
tain Jew,  that  Canaan  first  beheld  the  nakedness  of  his  grand- 
iather,  and  in  a  sneering  and  contemptuous  manner  pointed  him 
out  to  his  father.  But  the  truth  is,  that  this  tradition  among  the 
.fews  is  to  be  met  with  in  Bereshith  Itabba,  a  rabbinical  book 
written  long  before  the  time  of  Theodoret.  See  Bochart's  book 
entitled  Phaleg-,  Book  IV.  Chop,  xxxvii.  Col.  308. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  27 

In  consequence  of  this  cUflcrent  behaviour  of  his  three 
sons,  Noah  as  a  patriarch  was  enlightened,  and  as  the  fa- 
ther of  a  family,  who  is  to  reward  or  punish  his  children, 
was  impowered,  to  foretel  the  different  fortunes  of  their 
families:  for  this  prophecy  relates  not  so  much  to  them- 
selves, as  to  their  posterity,  the  people  and  nations  de- 
scended from  them.  He  was  not  prompted  by  wine  or 
resentment  j  for  neither  the  one  nor  the  other  could  in- 
fuse the  knowledge  of  futurity,  or  inspire  him  with  the 
prescience  of  events,  which  happened  hundreds,  nay  thou- 
sands of  years  afterwards.  But  God,  willing  to  manifest 
his  superintendence  and  government  of  the  world,  endued 
Noah  with  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  and  enal)led  him  in 
some  measure  to  disclose  the  purposes  of  his  providence 
towards  the  future  race  of  mankind.  At  the  same  time 
it  was  some  comfort  and  reward  to  Shem  and  Japheth, 
for  their  reverence  and  tenderness  to  their  father,  to  hear 
of  the  blessing  and  enlargement  of  their  posterity  ;  and 
it  was  some  mortification  and  punishment  to  Ham,  for 
his  mockery  and  cruelty  to  his  father,  to  hear  of  the  ma' 
lediction  and  servitude  of  some  of  his  children,  and  that 
as  he  was  a  wicked  son  himself,  so  a  wicked  race  should 
spring  from  him. 

Then  this  was  Noah's  prophecy  :  and  it  was  delivered, 
as  *  most  of  the  ancient  prophecies  were  delivered,  in  me- 
tre for  the  help  of  the  memory,  Gen.  ix.  25,  26,  27. 

*  Cursed  be  Canaan.' 

*  A  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto  his  brethren.* 
<  Blessed  be  Jehovah  the  God  of  Shem  ;' 

*  And  Canaan  shall  be  their  servant.' 

*  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth.' 

*  And  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem,' 

*  And  Canaan  shall  be  their  servant.' 

Canaan  was  the  fourth  son  of  Ham  according  to  the  urdei- 
wherein  they  are  mentioned  in  the  ensuing  chapter.  And 
for  what  reason  can  you  believe  that  Canaan  was  so  par- 

*  The  reader  may  see  this  point  proved  at  larg-e,  in  the  very 
ingenious  and  learned  Mr.  Arcluleacon  Lowth's  poetical  Prelec- 
tions Cparticiilarly  Prelect.  18.)  &c.,  a  work  that  merits  the  at- 
tention of  all  ^v!io  study  the  Hebrew  lang-uag-e. 


28  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ticularly  marked  out  for  the  curse  ?  for  his  father  Ham's 
transgression  ?  But  where  would  be  the  justice  or  equity 
to  pass  by  Ham  himself  with  the  rest  of  his  children,  and 
to  punish  only  Canaan  for  what  Ham  had  committed  ? 
Such  arbitrary  proceedings  are  contrary  to  all  our  ideas 
of  the  divine  perfections ;  and  we  may  say  in  this  case 
what  was  said  in  another,  Gen.  xviii,  25.  '  Shall  not  the 
judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right  ?*  The  curse  was  so  far 
from  being  pronounced  upon  Canaan  for  his  father  Ham's 
transgression,  that  we  do  not  read  that  it  was  pronounced 
for  his  own,  nor  was  executed  till  several  hundred  years 
after  his  death.  The  truth  is,  the  curse  is  to  be  under- 
stood not  so  properly  of  Canaan,  as  of  his  descendants  to 
the  latest  generations.  It  is  thinking  meanly  of  the  an- 
cient prophecies, of  scripture,  and  having  very  imperfect, 
very  unworthy  conceptions  of  them,  to  limit  their  inten- 
tion to  particular  persons.  In  this  view  the  ancient  pro- 
phets would  be  really  what  the  Deists  think  them,  little 
better  than  common  fortune-tellers  ;  and  their  prophecies 
would  hardly  be  worth  remembering  or  recording,  espe- 
cially in  so  concise  and  compendious  a  history  as  that  of 
Moses.  We  must  affix  a  larger  meaning  to  them,  and 
understand  them  not  of  single  persons,  but  of  whole  na- 
tions; and  thereby  a  nobler  scene  of  things,  and  a  more 
extensive  prospect  will  be  opened  to  us  of  the  divine  dis- 
pensations. The  curse  of  servitude  pronounced  upon  Ca- 
naan, and  so  likewise  the  promise  oi  blessing  and  enlarge- 
ment made  to  Shem  and  Japheth,  are  by  no  means  to  be 
confined  to  their  own  persons,  but  extend  to  their  whole 
race  ;  as  afterwards  the  prophecies  concerning  Ishmael, 
and  those  concerning  Esau  and  Jacob,  and  those  relating 
to  the  twelve  patriarchs,  were  not  so  properly  verified  in 
themselves  as  in  their  posterity,  and  thither  we  must  look 
for  their  full  and  perfect  completion.  The  curse  there- 
fore upon  Canaan  was  properly  a  curse  upon  the  Canaan- 
Ues.  God  foreseeing  the  wickedness  of  this  people,  (which 
began  in  their  father  Ham,  and  greatly  increased  in  this 
branch  of  his  family)  commissioned  Noah  to  pronounce 
a  curse  upon  them,  and  to  devote  them  to  the  servitude 
and  misery,  which  their  more  common  vices  and  iniqui- 
ties would  deserve.  And  this  account  was  plainly  written 
by  Moses,  for  the  encouragement  of  the  Israelites,  to  sup- 


THE  PllOPHEClES.  29 

port  and  animate  them  in  their  expedition  against  a  peo- 
ple, who  by  their  sins  had  forfeited  the  divine  protection, 
and  were  destined  to  slavery  from  the  days  of  Noah. 

We  see  the  purport  and  meaning  of  the  prophecy,  and 
now  let  us  attend  to  the  completion  of  it.  Cursed  be  Ca- 
naan ;  and  the  Canaanites  appear  to  have  been  an  abo- 
minably wicked  people.  The  sin  and  punishment  of  the 
inhabitants  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  the  cities  of  the 
plain  are  too  well  known  to  be  particularly  specified :  and 
for  the  other  inhabitants  of  the  land,  which  was  promised 
to  Abraham  and  his  seed,  God  bore  with  them  '  till  their 
iniquity  was  full,*  Gen.  xv.  16.  They  were  not  only  ad- 
dicted to  idolatry,  which  was  then  the  case  of  the  greater 
part  of  the  world,  but  were  guilty  of  the  worst  sort  of  ido- 
latry ;  '  for  every  abomination  to  the  Lord,  which  he 
hateth,  have  they  done  unto  their  gods ;  for  even  their 
sons  and  their  daughters  they  have  burnt  in  the  fire  to 
their  gods,'  Deut.  xii.  31.  Their  religion  was  bad,  and 
their  morality,  (if  possible,)  was  worse  ;  for  corrupt  reli- 
gion and  corrupt  morals  usually  generate  each  other,  and 
go  hand  in  hand  together.  Read  the  18th  and  20th  chap- 
ters of  Leviticus,  and  you  will  find  that  unlawful  marri- 
ages and  unlawful  lusts,  witchcraft,  adultery,  incest,  sod- 
omy, bestiality,  and  the  like  monstrous  enormities  were 
frequent  and  common  among  them.  And  was  not  a  cnrse 
in  the  nature  of  things,  as  well  as  in  the  just  judgment  of 
God  deservedly  intailed  upon  such  a  people  and  nation  as 
this?  It  was  not '  for  their  own  righteousness' that  *  the 
Lord  brought'  the  Israelites  in  *  to  possess  the  land  :'  but 
*for  the  wickedness  of  these  nations  did  the  Lord  drive 
them  out :'  Deut.  ix.  4.  and  he  would  have  driven  out  the 
Israelites  in  like  manner  for  the  very  same  abominations. 
Levit.  xviii.  25,  Sec. '  Defile  not  yourselves  in  any  of  these 
things ;  for  in  all  these  the  nations  are  defiled  which  I 
cast  out  before  you.  And  the  land  is  defiled  ;  therefore 
I  do  visit  the  iniquity  thereof  upon  it,  and  the  land  itself 
vomiteth  out  her  inhabitants.  Ye  shall  therefore  keep 
my  statutes  and  my  judgments,  and  shall  not  commit  any 
of  these  abominations — that  the  land  spne  not  ycu  out 
also  when  ye  defile  it,  as  it  spued  out  the  nations  that 
were  before  you.  For  whosoever  shall  commit  any  of 
c  3 


DISSERTATIONS  OX 

these  abominations,  even  the  souls  that  commit  them> 
shall  be  cut  off  from  among  their  people/ 

But  the  curse  particularly  implies  servitude  and  sub- 
jection. '  Cursed  be  Canaan  ;  a  servant  of  servants  shall 
he  be  unto  his  brethren.'  It  is  very  well  known  that  the 
word  brethren  in  Hebrew  comprehends  more  distant  re- 
lations. The  descendants  therefore  of  Canaan  were  to  be 
subject  to  the  descendants  of  both  Shem  and  Japheth  : 
and  the  natural  consequence  of  vice,  in  communities  as 
well  as  in  single  persons,  is  slavery.  The  same  thing  is 
repeated  again  and  again  in  the  two  following  verses, 
<  and  Canaan  shall  be  servant  to  them,'  or  '  their  servant ;' 
so  that  this  is  as  it  were  the  burden  of  the  prophecy. 
Some*  critics  take  the  phrase  observant  of  servants  strict- 
ly and  literally,  and  say  that  the  prediction  was  exactly 
fulfilledj  when  the  Canaanites  became  servants  to  the  Is- 
raelites, who  had  been  servants  to  the  Egyptians.  But 
this  is  refining  too  much  ;  the  phrase  off  servant  of  ser- 
vants is  of  the  same  turn  and  cast  as  '  holi/  of  holies^  king 
ofkings^  song  of  songs,'  and  the  like  expressions  in  scrip- 
ture ;  imports  that  they  should  be  the  lowest  and  basest 
of  servants. 

We  cannot  be  certain  as  to  the  time  of  the  delivery  of 
diis  prophecy ;  for  the  history  of  Moses  is  so  concise, 
that  it  hath  not  gratified  us  in  this  particular.  If  the  pro- 
phecy was  delivered  soon  after  the  transactions,  which 
•immediately  precede  in  the  history,  Noah's  '  beginning 
to  be  a  husbandman,  and  planting  a  vineyard,*  it  was  soon 
nfter  the  deluge,  and  then  Canaan  was  prophesied  of  be- 

*  Noah  cursing  Ham,  foretold  that  the  time  was  coming", 
when  his  posterity  would  be  the  servant  of  servants.  This  pre- 
diction was  fulfilled  in  the  Canaanites,  at  that  time,  when  they 
were  compelled  to  come  under  the  yoke  of  the  Israelites,  a  peo- 
ple who  for  a  long  time  had  served  the  Egyptians.  See  Bo- 
chart's  Phaleg,  Book  I.  Chap.  i.  Col.  3,  4. 

I  S.  Pompey  was  a  man  without  letters,  a  freedman  of  freed- 
men,  and  a  servant  of  servants.  He  envied  the  great,  while  he 
cringed  to  tlie  basest.  So  saith  Velleius  Peterculus,  II.  73.  In 
the  same  book  II,  83,  and  in  the  fragment  of  Sallust  we  meet 
with  these  words,  *'  here  indeed  the  lowest  of  servants  obtains 
the  superiority."  A  vassal  below  the  condition  of  servants. 
These  examples  are  taken  from  some  manuscript  notes  in  the 
possession  of  Dr.  Jortin. 


THE  PllOPIlECIES.  31 

fore  he  was  born,  as  it  was  prophesied  of  Esau  and  Jacob, 
Gen.  XXV.  23.  *  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger,'  before 
the  children  '  were  born  and  had  done  either  good  or  evil,* 
as  St.  Paul  saith,  Rom.  ix.  11.  If  the  prophecy  was  deli- 
vered a  little  before  the  transactions,  which  immediately 
follow  in  the  history,  it  was  a  little  before  Noah's  death, 
and  he  was  enlightened  in  his  last  moments  as  Jacob  was, 
to  foretel  what  should  befal  his  posterity  in  tht  latter  daysy 
Gen.  xlix.  1.  However  this  matter  be  determined,  il 
was  several  centuries  after  the  delivery  of  this  prophecy, 
when  the  Israelites,  who  were  descendants  of  Shem,  un- 
der the  command  of  Joshua  invaded  the  Canaanites,  smote 
above  thirty  of  their  kings,  took  possession  of  their  land, 
slew  several  of  the  inhabitants,  made  the  Gibeonites  and 
others  servants  and  tributaries,  and  Solomon  afterwards 
subdued  the  rest,  2  Chron.  viii.  7,  8,  9.  <  As  for  all  the 
people  that  were  left  of  the  Hittites,  and  the  Amorites, 
and  the  Perizzites,  and  the  Hivites,  and  the  Jebusites, 
which  were  not  of  Israel ;  but  of  their  children  who  were 
left  after  them  in  the  land,  whom  the  children  of  Israel 
consumed  not ;  them  did  Solomon  make  to  pay  tribute 
until  this  day.  But  of  the  children  of  Israel  did  Solomon 
make  no  servants  for  his  work :  but  they  were  men  of 
war,  and  chief  of  his  captains,  and  captains  of  his  chariots 
and  horsemen.'  The  Greeks  and  Romans  too,  who  were 
descendants  of  Japheth,  not  only  subdued  Syria  and  Pa- 
lestine, but  also  pursued  and  conquered  such  of  the  Ca- 
naanites as  were  any  where  remaining,  as  for  instance 
the  Typians  and  Carthaginians,  the  former  of  whom  were 
mined  by  Alexander  and  the  Grecians,  and  the  latter  by 
Scipio  and  the  Romans.  "  This  fate,"  says  Mr.  Mede* 
"  was  it  that  made  Hannibal,  a  child  of  Canaan,  cry  out 
with  the  amazement  of  his  soul,  Agnosco  fortunam  Car- 
thaginis^  I  acknowledge  the  fortune  of  Carthage.*'  And 
ever  since  the  miserable  remainder  of  this  people  have 
been  slaves  to  a  foreign  yoke,  first  to  the  Saracens,  who 
descended  from  Shera,  and  afterwards  to  the  Turks,  who 
descended  from  Japheth ;  and  they  groan  under  their  do- 
minion at  this  day. 

*  Mede's  Works,  Book  I.  Disc.  50.  pag-.  284.     See  also  tf>- 
-.vards  the  end  of  the  XXVU  book  of  Llvy. 


32  DISSERTATIONS  OS 

Hitherto  we  have  explained  the  prophecy  according 
to  the  present  copies  of  owr  bible  :  but  if  we  were  to  cor- 
rect the  text,  as  we  should  any  ancient  classic  author  in 
a  like  case,  the  whole  perhaps  might  be  made  easier  and 
plainer.  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  is  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  part  of  the  story  ;  and  how  then  came  the  per- 
son of  a  sudden  to  be  changed  into  Canaan  ?  The  Ara- 
bic *  version  in  these  three  verses  hath  the  father  of  Ca^ 
naan  instead  of  Canaan.  Some  copies  of  the  Septuagint  t 
likewise  have  Ham  instead  of  Canaan^  as  if  Canaan  was  a 
corruption  of  the  text.  Vatablus  and  others  \  by  Canaan 
understand  the  father  of  Canaan^  which  was  expressed 
twice  before.  And  if  we  regard  the  metre,  this  line  Curs^ 
ed  be  Canaan,  is  much  shorter  than  the  rest,  §  as  if  some- 


*  Cursed  be  the  father  of  Canaan.  See  the  Arabic  version. 
f  The  Septuagint  in  some  copies  have  Ham  instead  of  Canaan, 
as  if  Canaan  were  a  corruption  of  the  text.  See  Calmet  on  this 
passage.  So  likewise  Ainswortb,  [Who  says,  by  Canaan  may  be 
understood  or  Implied,  Canaan's  father;  as  the  Greek  translation 
hath  Ifam,  and  elsewhere  in  Scripture,  Goliah  is  named  for  Goli- 
iih's  father.  2  Sam.  xxi,  19.  compared  with  1  Chron.  xx.  5.] 

i:  Some  suppose  that  the  word  Abi  father,  is  left  out  by  the 
carelessness  of  transcribers  and  ought  to  be  supplied,  because  a 
little  below  Ham  is  twice  called  the  father  of  Canaan,  see  Gen. 
ix.  18,  22.  As  if  the  words  stood  thus.  Cursed  be  Ham  the  fa- 
ther of  Canaan.     See  Vatablus  on  the  passage. 

§  My  suspicion  hath  since  been  confirmed  by  the  reverend  and 
learned  Mr.  Green,  fellow  of  Clare-hall  in  Cambridge  ;  who  is 
admirably  W'ell  skilled  in  the  Hebrew  language  and  Hebrew  me- 
tre, and  hath  given  abundant  proofs  of  his  knowledge.rfnd  judg- 
ment, in  these  matters,  in  his  new  translation  and  commentary 
on  the  song  of  Deborah,  the  prayer  of  Habakkuk,  &c.  He  as- 
serts, that  according  to  Bishop  Hare's  metre,  the  words  ha7n  abi 
are  necessary  to  fill  up  the  verse.  He  proposes  a  fartlier  emen- 
dation of  the  text,  by  the  omission  of  one  line,  and  the  transpo- 
sition of  another,  and  would  read  the  whole  prophecy  thus,  ac- 
cording to  the  metre. 

And  JToah  said, 

Cursed  be  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  ; 

A  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  to  his  brethren. 

And  he  said, 

Blessed  be  Jehovah  the  God  of  Shem  ; 

For  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem. 

God  shall  enlarge  Japheth  ; 

And  Canaao  shall  be  their  servant. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  33 

thing  was  deficient.  May  we  not  suppose  therefore, 
(without  taking  such  liberties  as  father  HoubiR-aut  hath 
with  the  Hebrew  text)  that  the  copyist  by  mistake  wrote 
only  Canaan  instead  of  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan^  2iX\6. 
the  whole  passage  was  originally  thus  ?  '  And  Ham  the 
father  of  Canaan  saw  the  nakedness  of  his  father,  and  told 
his  two  brethren  without. — And  Noah  awoke  from  his 
wine,  and  knew  what  his  younger  son  had  done  to  him. 
And  he  said,  Cursed  be  Ham  the  father  0/ Canaan;  a  ser- 
vant of  servants  shall  he  be  unto  his  brethren.  And  he 
said.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Shem  ;  and  Ham  the 
father  0/ Canaan  shall  be  servant  to  them  God  shall  en- 
large Japheth ;  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem  ; 
and  Hun  the  father  o/Canaan  shall  be  servant  to  them.* 

By  this  reading  all  the  three  sons  of  Noah  are  included 
in  the  prophecy,  whereas  otherwise  Ham,  who  was  the 
offender,  is  excluded,  or  is  only  punished  in  one  of  his 
children.  Ham  is  characterized  as  the  father  of  Canaan 
particularly,  for  the  greater  encouragement  of  the  Israel- 
ites, who  were  going  to  invade  the  land  of  Canaan :  and 
when  it  is  said  *  Cursed  be  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  ;  a 
servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  unto  his  brethren  ;*  it  is 
implied  that  his  whole  race  was  devoted  to  servitude,  but 
particularly  the  Canaanites.  Not  that  this  was  to  take 
effect  immediately,  but  was  to  be  fulfilled  in  process  of 
time,  when  they  should  forfeit  their  liberties  by  their  wick- 
edness. Ham  at  first  subdued  some  of  the  posterity  of 
Shem,  as  Canaan  sometimes  conquered  Japheth  ;  the  Car- 
thaginians, who  were  originally  Canaanites,  did  particu- 

If  you  will  not  allow  this  emendation  to  be  right  and  certain,  yet 
I  think  you  must  allow  it  to  be  probable  and  ingenious,  to  ren- 
der the  sense  clearer  and  plainer,  and  to  give  to  every  part  its 
just  weight  and  proportion.  Or  the  whole  may,  with  only  a 
transposition  and  without  any  omission,  be  represented  thus; 

And  Noah  said. 

Cursed  be  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  ; 

A  servant  of  servants  shall  he  be  to  his  brethren. 

And  he  said. 

Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Shem  ; 

For  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem  ; 

And  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  shall  be  their  servant. 

God  shall  enlarge  Japheth, 

And  Ham  the  father  of  Canaan  shall  be  their  servant.-. 


34  DISSEUTATIONS  ON 

larly  in  Spain  and  Italy  :  but  in  time  they  were  to  be  sub- 
dued, and  to  become  servants  to  Shem  and  Japheth  ;  and 
the  change  of  their  fortune  from  good  to  bad  would  ren- 
der the  curse  still  more  visible.  Egypt  was  the  land  of 
Ham^  as  it  is  often  called  in  scripture  ;  and  for  many  years 
it  was  a  great  and  flourishing  kingdom  :  but  it  was  sub- 
dued by  the  Persians,  who  descended  from  Shem,  and 
afterwards  by  the  Grecians,  who  descended  from  Japheth ; 
and  from  that  time  to  this  it  hath  constantly  been  in  sub- 
jection to  some  or  other  of  the  posterity  of  Shem  or  Ja- 
pheth. The  whole  continent  of  Africa*  was  peopled 
principally  by  the  children  of  Ham  :  and  for  how  many 
ages  have  the  belter  parts  of  that  country  lain  under  the 
dominion  of  the  Romans,  and  then  of  the  Saracens,  and 
now  of  the  Turks  ?  in  what  wickedness,  ignorance,  barba- 
rity, slavery,  and  misery,  live  most  of  the  inhabitants  ? 
and  of  the  poor  negroes  how  many  hundreds  every  year 
are  sold  and  bought  like  beasts  in  the  market,  and  are 
conveyed  from  one  quarter  of  the  world  to  do  the  work 
of  beasts  in  another  ? 

Nothing  can  be  more  complete  than  the  execution  of 
the  sentence  upon  Ham  as  well  as  upon  Canaan  ;  and 
now  let  us  consider  the  promises  made  to  Shem  and  Ja- 
fiheth.  *  And  he  said,  ver.  26.  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God 
of  Shem;  and  Canaan  shall  be  his  servant?  or  rather, 
and  Canaan  shall  be  servant  to  them^  or  their  servant^ 
that  is  to  his  brethren  ;  for  that,  as  we  observed  before, 
is  the  main  part  of  the  prophecy,  and  therefore  is  so  fre- 
quently repeated.  A  learned  critic  t  in  the  Hebrew  lan- 
guage, who  hath  lately  published  some  remarks  on  the 
printed  Hebrew  text,  saith,  that  "  if  it  should  be  thought 
preferable  to  refer  the  word  blessed  directly  to  •S'/fd'wz,  as 
the  word  cursed  is  to  Canaan  ;  the  words  may  be  (and 
perhaps  more  pertinently)  rendered — Blessed  of  Jehovah^ 
my  God.,  be  Shem  !  See  Gen.  xxiv.  3 1 ."  Or  if  we  choose 
(as  most  perhaps  will  choose)  to  follow  our  own  as  well 

*  Ham,  although  cursed,  yet  was  not  excluded  from  earthly 
blessings ;  for  in  the  division  of  the  world,  besides  Egypt  and 
the  whole  continent  of  Africa,  a  large  portion  of  Syria  was  like- 
wise  allotted  to  him.    See  Bochart's  Phale^,  Book  lY.  Chap.  1 
Col.  203. 

t  See  Kemiipott*6  Dissertation,  p.  561. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  35 

as  all  the  ancient  versions,  we  may  observe  that  the  old 
patriarch  doth  not  say,  Blessed  be  i>7ie?n,  as  he  said,  Cursed 
be  CaiiaaJi  ;  for  men's  evils  springeth  of  themselves,  but 
their  good  from  God  :  and  therefore  in  a  strain  of  devo- 
tion breaking  forth  into  thanksgiving  to  God  as  the  author 
of  all  good  to  Shem.  Neither  doth  he  say  the  same  to 
Japheth ;  for  God  certainly  may  dispense  his  particular 
favours  according  to  his  good  pleasure  ;  and  salvation 
was  to  be  derived  to  mankind  through  Shem  and  his  pos- 
terity. God  prefers  Shem  to  his  elder  brother  Japheth, 
as  Jacob  was  afterwards  preferred  to  Esau,  and  David  to 
his  elder  brothers,  to  show  that  the  order  of  grace  is  not 
always  the  same  as  the  order  of  nature.  The  Lord  being 
called  the  God  of  Shem  particularly,  it  is  plainly  intimat- 
ed that  the  Lord  would  be  his  God  in  a  particular  manner.* 
And  accordingly  the  church  of  God  was  among  the  pos- 
terity of  Shem  for  several  generations  ;  and  of  them^  Rom. 
ix.  5.  as  conceriiing  thejiesh^  Christ  came. 

But  still  Japheth  was  not  dismissed  without  a  promise, 
ver.  47.  *  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth,  and  he  shall  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  Shem ;  and  Canaan  shall  be  servant  to 
them,  or  their  servant.  God  shall  enlarge  Japheth.' 
Some  render  the  word,  (it  is  so  rendered  in  the  margin 
of  our  bibles)  God  shall  jiersuade  or  allure  Japheth,  so 
that  he  shall  come  over  to  the  true  religion,  and  dive II  in 
the  tents  of  Shem.  But  the  best  critics  t  in  the  language 
have  remarked,  besides  other  reasons,  that  they  who 
translate  the  word  by  persuade  or  allure.,  did  not  consider, 
that  when  it  is  so  taken,  it  is  used  in  a  bad  sense,  and  go- 
verns an  accusative  case,  and  not  a  dative,  as  in  this  place. 
God  shall  enlarge  Japheth^  or  U7ito  Japheth  is  the  bestren- 

*  [Shem  is  the  first  person  who  had  the  honour  of  having*  the 
Lord  stiled  his  God,  This  expression  denotes  his  being  a  God 
IN  COVENANT  with  him, as  when  he  is  called  the  God  of  Abram, 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Noah,  foreseeing  by  a  spirit  of  prophecy,  that 
God  would  enter  into  a  a  special  covenant  with  the  posterity  of 
Shem,  taking-  them  to  be  his  peculiar  people,  and  binding  himself 
to  be  their  God,  was  affected  at  the  consideration  of  so  great  a 
privilege,  and  breaks  out  hito  an  ascription  of  praise  to  God,  on 
this  account.]  Fuller. 

f  See  Boch art's  Phaleg,  Book  HI.  Chap,  i.  Col.  149.  and  Le 
Clerc  upon  the  passage. 


36  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

dering ;  and  in  the  original  there  is  a  manifest  allusioii 
to  Japheth's  name,  such  as  is  familiar  to  the  Hebrew  wri- 
ters. As  it  was  said  of  Noah,  Gen.  v.  29.  «  This  same 
shall  comfort  us/  the  name  of  A^oah  being  thought  to 
signify  comfort:  As  it  is  said  of  Judah,  Gen.  xlix.  8. 
*  Thou  art  he  whom  thy  brethren  shall  praise/  and  the 
name  of  Judah  signifies  firaise .-  As  it  is  said  of  Dan,  ver. 
]6  *Dan  shall  judge  his  people,'  and  the  name  of  Dan 
s\%ri\hQs  judging :  As  it  is  said  of  Gad,  ver.  19.  <  A  troop 
shall  overcome  him,'  and  the  name  of  Gad  signifies  a 
troofi  or  company :  So  it  is  said  here,  *  God  shall  enlarge 
Japheth,'  and  the  name  oiJafiheth  signifies  enlargement. 
Was  Japheth  then  more  enlarged  than  the  rest  ?  Yes,  he 
was  both  in  territory  and  in  children.  The  territories  of 
Japheth's  posterity  were  indeed  very  large,  for  *  besides 
all  Europe,  great  and  extensive  as  it  is,  they  possessed 
the  lesser  Asia,  Media,  part  of  Armenia,  Iberia,  Albania, 
and  those  vast  regions  towards  the  north,  which  anciently 
the  Scythians  inhabited,  and  now  the  Tartars  inhabit ; 
and  it  is  not  improbable  that  the  new  world  was  peopled  by 
some  of  his  northern  descendants  passing  thither  by  the 
straits  of  Anian.  The  enlargement  of  Japheth  may  also 
denote  a  numerous  progeny  as  well  as  ample  territory  : 
and  if  you  consult  the  genealogies  of  the  three  brothers 
comprised  in  the  following  chapter,  you  will  find  that 
Japheth  had  seven  sons,  whereas  Ham  had  only  ybwr,  and 
Shem  ox^y  Jive ;  and  the  northern  hive  (as  Sir  William 
Temple  demoninates  it)  was  always  remarkable  for  its 
fecundity,  and  hath  been  continually  pouring  forth 
swarms,  and  sending  out  colonies  into  the  more  southern 
parts,  both  in  Europe  and  in  Asia,  both  in  former  and  in 
latter  times. 

*  I  altogether  agree  with  the  admirers  of  Bochart,  who  think 
that  by  the  promise  contained  in  these  words  was  intimated, 
that  God  in  the  division  of  the  earth  would  bestow  the  greatest 
portion  on  the  posterity  of  Japheth.  This  must  be  acknowledg- 
ed by  every  person,  who  considers  that  besides  Europe,  large  as 
it  is,  they  inhabit  the  lesser  Asia,  Media,  a  part  of  Armenia, 
Iberia,  Albania  and  those  most  extensive  countries  towards  the 
north,  which  formerly  the  Scythians,  but  now  the  Tartars  pos- 
sess;  to  say  nothing  of  the  continent  of  America,  into  which,  it 
is  highly  probable,  they  found  their  way  by  the  straits  of  Anian. 
See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  Book  III.  Chap.  i.  Col.  149. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  37 

« 

The  following  clause,  <  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  tents 
of  Shem,'  is  capable  of  a  double  construction ;  for  thereby 
may  be  meant  either  that  God^  or  that  Jaliheth  shall  dwell 
in  the  tents  of  Shem;  in  the  tents  of  Shem^  saith  he,  speak- 
ing according  to  the  simplicity  of  those  times,  when  men 
dwelt  in  tents  and  not  in  houses.  They  who  prefer  the 
former  construction,  seem  to  have  the  authority  of  the 
original  text  on  their  side  ;  for  there  is  no  other  noun  to 
govern  the  verbs  in  the  period,  but  God;  there  is  no  pro- 
noun in  the  Hebrew  answering  to  the  he  which  is  inserted 
in  our  English  translation  :  and  the  whole  sentence  would 
run  thus,  ^  God  will  enlarge  Japheth,  and  will  dwell  in 
the  tents  of  Shem  :'  and  the  Chaldee  of  Onkelos  *  also 
thus  paraphraseth  it,  *  and  will  make  his  glory  to  dwell  in 
the  tabernacles  of  Shem.'  They  who  prefer  the  latter 
construction,  seem  to  have  done  it,  that  they  might  refer 
this  27th  verse  wholly  to  Japheth,  as  they  refer  the  26th 
wholly  to  Shem  :  but  the  other  appears  to  me  the  more 
natural  and  easy  construction.  Taken  in  either  sense, 
the  prophecy  hath  been  most  punctually  fulfilled.  In  the 
former  sense  it  was  fulfilled  literally,  when  the  Shechinah 
or  divine  presence  rested  on  the  ark,  and  dwelt  in  the 
tabernacle  and  temple  of  the  Jews ;  and  when  *  the  Word 
who  was  with  God  and  was  God,'  John  i.  1 .  eskenosen, 
pitched  his  tent,  and  dnvtU  among  us^  ver.  14.  In  the  lat- 
ter sense  it  was  fulfilled  first,  when  the  Greeks  and  Ro- 
mans, who  sprung  originally  from  Japheth,  subdued  and 
possessed  Judea  and  other  countries  of  Asiabelonp:ing  to 
Shem ;  and  again  spiritually,  when  they  were  proselyted 
to  the  true  religion,  and  they  who  were  not  Israelites  by 
birth,  became  Israelites  by  faith,  and  lived,  as  we  and 
many  others  of  Japheth's  posterity  do  at  this  day,  within 
the  pale  of  the  church  of  Christ. 

What  think  you  now  ?  Is  not  this  a  most  extraordinary 
prophecy  ;  a  prophecy  that  was  delivered  near  four  thou- 
sand years  ago,  and  yet  hath  been  fulfilling  through  the 
several  periods  of  time  to  this  day  !  It  is  both  wonderful 
and  instructive.     It  is  the  history  of  the  world  as  it  were 

•  And  he  (God)  will  cause  his  glory  to  abide  In  the  tents  of 
Shem.    See  the  Paraphrase  of  Onkelos. 

VOL.    I.  D 


3B  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

in  epitome.  And  hence  we  are  enabled  to  correct  a  tnis^ 
take  of  one  author,  and  expose  the  petulance  of  another. 
1.  The  first  is  the  learned  and  excellent  Mr.  IMede,  an 
author  always  to  be  read  with  improvement,  and  to  be 
corrected  with  reverence  :  but  yet  I  conceive,  that  ht 
hath  carried  matters  too  far  in  ascribing  more  to  this  pro- 
phecy than  really  belongs  to  it.  For  discoursing  of  the 
habitations  and  dispersions  of  the  sons  of  Noah,  he  saith  * 
that  "  there  hath  never  yet  been  a  son  of  Ham,  who  hath 
shaken  a  sceptre  over  the  head  of  Japheth  :  Shem  hath 
subdued  Japheth,  and  Japheth  hath  subdued  Shem,  but 
Ham  never  subdued  either:"  and  this  passage  hath  been 
cited  by  several  commentators  t  to  illustrate  this  prophe- 
cy. But  this  worthy  person  surely  did  not  recollect,  that 
Nimrod,  the  first  monarch  in  the  world,  was  the  son  of 
Cush,  who  was  the  son  of  Ham,  Gen.  x.  Misraim  was 
another  son  of  Ham  ;  he  was  the  father  of  the  Egyptians, 
and  the  Egyptians  detained  the  Israelites  in  bondage  se- 
veral years.  Shishak  king  of  Egypt  subdued  Rehoboam 
king  of  Judah,  1  Kings  xiv.  Sesostris  king  of  Egypt 
(the  same  probably  as  Shishak)  conquered  great  part 
of  Europe  and  Asia,  if  there  is  any  faith  in  ancient 
history.  The  Carthaginians  too,  were  descended  from 
the  Canaanites,  as  we  noticed  before,  gained  several 
victories  over  the  Romans  in  Spain  and  Italy.  It  was  a 
mistake  therefore  to  say  that  Ham  never  subdued  Shem 
Qr  Japheth.  It  is  enough  if  he  hath  generally  and  for 
much  the  greatest  part  of  time  been  a  servant  to  them,  as 
he  really  hath  been  for  two  or  three  thousand  years,  and 
continues  at  present.  This  sufficiently  verifies  the  pre- 
diction ;  and  we  should  exceed  the  limits  of  truth,  if  we 
should  extend  it  farther.  Wc  might  almost  as  well  say 
(as  some  have  said)  that  the  complexion  of  the  blacks  was 
in  consequence  of  Noah's  curse.  But  though  Ham  had 
in  some  instances  and  upon  some  occasions  been  superior, 
yet  this  is  memorable  enough,  that  of  the  four  famous 
monarchies  of  the  world,  the  Assyrian,  Persian,  Grecian, 
and  Roman,  the  two  former  were  of  the  descendants  of 
Shem,  as  the  two  latter  were  of  the  sons  of  Japheth. 

•  See  Mede's  Works,  IJook  I.  Disc.  49,  and  50.  pag.  283.  Edit. 
2672. 
t  Patrick,  kc. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  319 

2.  The  other  is  the  famous  author  of  the  Letters  on  the 
study  and  use  of  history,  who  hath  strangely  abused  his 
talents  in  abusing  this  prophecy;  For  the  true  meaning 
and  exact  completion  of  it  rightly  considered,  what  room 
is  there  for  ridicule  ?  and  how  absurd  and  impertinent  as 
well  as  gross  and  indecent  are  his  reflections  ?  "  The 
curse,"  says  he,*  "  pronounced  in  it  contradicts  all  our 
notions  of  order  and  of  justice.  One  is  tempted  to  think, 
that  the  patriarch  was  still  drunk  ;  and  that  no  man  in  his 
senses  could  hold  such  language,  or  pass  such  a  sentence.** 
But  such  will  be  the  case,  when  men  of  more  parts  than 
judgment  talk  and  write  about  things  which  they  do  not 
sufficiently  understand ;  and  especially  in  matters  of  reli- 
gion, whereof  by  no  means  they  are  competent  judges, 
having  never  either  studied  them  at  all,  or  studied  them 
superficially  and  with  prejudice.  All  that  he  hath  written 
relating  to  these  subjects  betrays  great  weakness  in  a  man 
of  his  capacity,  weakness  great  as  his  malice ;  and  we 
might  have  an  easy  victory  over  assertions  without  proofs, 
premises  without  conclusions,  and  conclusions  without 
premises.!     But  I  love  not  controversy,  and  will  only 

*  Lord  Bolingbroke's  Works,  Vol.  2.  Letter  lii.  pag.  314.  Edit, 
quarto. 

f  [It  is  worthy  of  notice,  that  the  God  of  Israel  thought  it  no 
dishonour  to  his  character  to  declare,  that  "  heUvould  visit  the 
iniquity  of  the  fathers  upon  the  cliildren  in  those  that  hated 
him,"  any  more  than  that  "  he  would  shew  mercy  to  those  that 
loved  him,"  which  he  did  in  an  eminent  degree  in  the  posterit}' 
of  Abi-aham.  And  should  any  object  to  this,  and  to  the  Bible  on 
this  account,  we  might  appeal  to  universal  fact.  None  can  deny, 
that  children  are  the  better  or  the  worse  for  the  conduct  of  their 
parents.  If  any  man  insists  that  neither  good  nor  evil  j^iall  befal 
him,  but  what  is  the  immediate  consequence  of  his  own  conduct, 
he  must  go  out  of  the  world,  for  no  such  state  of  existence  is 
known  in  it. 

There  is,  however,  an  important  difference  between  the  sin  of 
a  parejit  being  the  occasion  of  the  prediction  of  a  curse  upon  his 
posterity y  -xvho  tvere  considered  by  Him  ~cvho  kiiexo  the  e?ul  from  the 
beginning  as  -valking  in  )iis  steps,  and  its  being  the  formal  cause 
of  their  pimishme?it. 

The  sin  of  Ham  was  the  occasion  of  the  prediction  against  the 
Canaanites,  and  the  antecedent  to  the  evil  predicted,  but  it  was 
not  the  ca2is€  of  it.  Its  formal,  procilring  cause,  may  be  seen  in 


40  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

inake  two  op  three  reflections,  just  to  give  a  specimen  of 
the  boasted  learning  and  abilities  of  this  writer. 

His  lordship  seemeth  to  take  a  particular  pleasure  in 
railing  at  pedants,  at  the  same  time  that  he  himself  is  one 
of  the  most  pedantic  of  writers,  if  it  be  pedantry  to  make 
a  vain  ostentation  of  learning,  and  to  quote  authors  with- 
out either  reading  or  understanding  them,  or  even  know- 
ing so  much  as  who  and  what  they  are.  "  The  Codex 
Alexandrinus,*  saith  he,  we  owe  to  George  the  monk.*' 
We  are  indebted  indeed  to  George  the  monk,  more  usu- 
ally called  Syncellus,  for  what  is  entitlec^  Vetus  Chronic 
con  or  an  old  chronicle.  But  the  Codex  Alexandrinus 
is  quite  another  thing  ;  it  is,  as  all  the  learned  know,  the 
famous  Greek  MS.  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
brought  originally  from  Alexandria, 'and  presented  to 
Charles  I,  and  now  remaining  in  the  King's  library,  of 
which  it  doth  not  appear  that  George  the  monk  knew 
any  thing,  and  it  is  evident  that  his  lordship  knew  no- 
thing. If  he  meant  to  say  the  Chronicon  Aiexandrinum, 
that  is  still  another  thing,  and  the  work  of  another  author. 

His  lordship  is  of  opinion  f  that  '<  Virgil  in  those  fa- 
mous verses  Excudent  alii,  Sec.  might  have  justly  ascrib- 
ed to  his  countrymen  the  praise  of  writing  history  better 


the  18th  chapter  of  Leviticus.  .To  Ham,  and  perhaps  to  Canaan, 
the  prediction  of  the  servitude  of  their  descendants  was  a  pu- 
nishment, but  the  fulfilment  of  that  prediction  on  the  parties  was 
no  farther  such  than  as  it  was  connected  with  their  own  sin. 

There  is  also  an  important  difference  between  the  providential 
dispensations  of  God  toxvards  fuwiUes  and  nations  in  the  present 
ruorld,  and  the  admirdstration  of  distributive  justice  towards  indivi' 
duals,  ivi^h  respect  iojhe  ivorld  to  come.  In  the  last  judgment, 
'  every  one  shall  give  an  account  of  himself  to  God,  and  be  judg- 
ed according  to  the  deeds  done  in  the  body,'  but  while  we  are 
in  this  world  we  stand  in  various  relations,  in  which  it  is  impos- 
sible that  we  should  be  dealt  with  merely  as  individuals.  Cod 
deals  with  fiimilics  and  nations  as  such,  and  in  the  course  of  his 
providence  visits  them  with  good  and  evil,  not  according  to  the 
conduct  of  individuals,  but,  as  far  as  conduct  is  concerned,  that 
of  the  general  body.  To  insist  that  we  should,  in  all  cases,  be 
treated  as  individuals,  is  to  renounce  the  social  character.] 

*  Lord  Bolingbroke's  AVorks,  Letter  1st.  page  26?. 
t  Letter  the  5th.  page  340,  &.c. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  41 

tiian  thqr  Grecians."  But  which  are  the  Roman  histories, 
that  are  to  be  preferred  to  the  Grecian  ?  "  Why  the  re- 
mains, the  pfecioLis  remains,"  says  his  lordship,  "  of  Sa- 
lust,  of  Livy,  and  of  Tacitus."  But  it  happened  that 
Virgil*  died,  before  Livy  had  written  his  history,  and  be- 
fore Tacitus  was  born.  And  is  not  this  an  excellent 
chronologer  now,  to  correct  all  ancient  history  and  chro- 
nology sacred  and  profane  ? 

His  lordship  is  likewise  pleased  to  say,t  that  "  Don 
Quixote  believed,  but  even  Sancho  doubted  :"  and  it  may 
be  asserted  on  the  other  side,  that  Sir  Isaac  Newton  be- 
lieved the  prophecies,  though  his  lordship  did  not,  the 
principal  reason  of  which  may  be  found  perhaps  in  the 
different  life  and  morals  of  the  one  and  the  other.  Nay 
the  wisest  politicians  and  historians'*have  be^n  believers, 
as  well  as  the  greatest  philosophers.  Raleigh,  and  Cla- 
rendon believed  ;  Bacon,  and  Locke  believed  ;  and  where 
then  is  the  discredit  to  revelation,  if  Lord  Bolingbroke 
was  an  infidel  ? '  A  scorner,*  as  Solomon  saith,  Pro  v.  xiv. 
6,  *  seeketh  wisdom,  and  findeth  it  not.* 

But  there  cannot  be  a  stronger  condemnation  of  his 
lordship's  conduct,  than  his  own  words  upon  another  oc- 
casion in  his  famous  Dissertation  upon  parties.  "  Some 
men  there  are,  the  pests  of  society  I  think  them,  who 
pretend  a  great  regard  to  religion  in  general,  but  who 
take  every  opportunity  of  declaiming  publicly  against 
that  system  of  religion,  or  at  least  against  that  church- 
establishment,  which  is  received  in  Britain.  Just  so  the 
men,  of  whom  I  have  been  speaking,  affect  a  great  re- 
gard to  liberty  in  general ;  but  they  dislike  so  much  the 
system  of  liberty  established  in  Britain,  that  they  are  in- 
cessant in  their  endeavours  to  puzzle  the  plainest  thing 
in  the  world,  and  to  refine  and  distinguish  away  the  life 
and  strength  of  our  constitution,  in  favour  of  the  little, 
present,  momentary  turns,  which  they  are  retained  to 
serve.  What  now  would  be  the  consequence,  if  all  these 
endeavours  should  succeed  ? — I  am  persuaded  that  the 
great  philosophers,  divines,  lawyers,  and  politicians,  who 

*  Virgil  died  A.  U.  C.  735.  Livy  according  to  Dodwell  finished 
his  history  in  745.     Tacitus  was  consul  in  850.     See  Fabriclus. 
t  Letter  the  4th.  page  130. 

D  2 


42  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

exert  them,  have  not  yet  prepared  and  agreed  upon  the 
plans  of  a  new  religion,  and  of  new  constitutions  in 
church  and  state.  We  should  find  ourselves  therefore 
without  any  form  of  religion,  or  civil  government.  The 
first  set  of  these  missionaries  would  take  otf  all  the  re- 
straints of  religion  from  the  governed  ;  and  the  latter  set 
would  remove,  or  render  ineffectual,  all  the  limitations 
and  controuls,  which  liberty  hath  prescribed  to  those  that 
govern,  and  disjoint  the  whole  frame  of  our  constitution. 
Entire  dissolution  of  manners,  confusion,  anarchy,  or 
perhaps  absolute  monarchy,  would  follow  ;  for  it  is  possi- 
ble, nay  probable,  that  in  such  a  state  as  this,  and  amidst 
such  a  route  of  lawless  savages,  men  would  choose  this 
government,  absurd  as  it  is,  rather  than  have  no  govern- 
ment at  all." 

It  is  to  be  lamented  that  such  a  genius  should  be  so 
employed  :  but  the  misapplication  of  those  excellent  ta- 
lents with  which  God  had  entrusted  him,  was  his  reign- 
ing fault  through  every  stage,  through  every  scene  of 
life.  That  which  Lord  Digby  *  said  of  the  great  Lord 
Strafford,  may  with  more  truth  and  justice  be  affirmed  of 
him,  that  the  malignit}-  of  his  practices  was  hugely  ag- 
gravated by  those  rare  abilities  of  his,  whereof  God  had 
given  him  the  use,  but  the  devil  the  application. 


II. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  ISHMAEL. 

ABRAHAM  was  the  patriarch  of  greatest  renown 
next  after  the  times  of  Noah.  He  was  favoured  with 
several  revelations ;  and  from  him  two  very  extraordinary 
nations  descended,  the  Ishmaelites,  and  Israelites,  concern- 
ing each  of  whom  there  are  some  remarkable  prophecies. 
Ishmael,  though  the  son  of  the  bond-woman,  and  not  pro- 
perly the  child  of  promise,  was  yet  distinguished  by  some 

•  Ruskworth,  Vol.  4.  pag^  2'25. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  43 

express  predictions  for  the  comfort  and  satisfaction  of 
both  his  parents.  In  the  16th  chapter  of  Genesis,  when 
Ilagur  '  Ik'd  from  the  face  of  her  mistress  who  had  dealt 
hardiy  with  her,  the  angel  of  the  Lord  found  her  in  the 
wilderness,  and  said  unto  her,  return  to  thy  mistress,  and 
submit  thyself  under  her  hands.  And  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  said  unto  her,  I  will  multiply  thy  seed  exceedingly, 
that  it  shidl  not  be  numbered  for  multitude.  And  the 
angel  of  the  Lord  said  unto  her,  Behold  thou  art  with 
child,  and  shall  bear  a  son,  and  shalt  call  his  name  Ish- 
mael,'  that  is,  God  shall  hear,  '  because  the  J^ord  hath 
heard  thy  affliction.*  And  he  will  be  a  wild  man  ;  his 
hand  will  be  against  every  man,  and  every  man's  hand 
against  him  ;  and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his 
brethren,*  ver.  6,  7,  9,  10,  11,  12.  In  the  folfcwing  chap- 
ter, when  Isaac  was  promised  to  Abraham,  God  still  re- 
served a  blessing  for  Ishmael,  '  Behold  I  have  blessed 
him,  and  will  make  him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply  him 
exceedingly  :  twelve  princes  shall  he  beget,  and  I  will 
make  him  a  great  nation/  ver.  20.  Afterwards  when 
Hagar  and  Ishmael  were  sent  forth  into  the  wilderness, 
God  said  unto  Abraham,  Gen.  xxi.  J  3.  *  And  also  of  the 
son  of  the  bond-woman  will  I  make  a  nation,  because  he 
is  thy  seed.'  The  same  is  repeated  to  Hagar,  ver.  18,  *  I 
will  make  him  a  great  nation.'  And  if  we  are  curious  to 
trace  the  course  of  events,  we  shall  see  how  exactly  these 
particulars  have  been  fulfilled  from  the  earliest  down  to 
the  present  times. 

'  I  will  multiply  thy  seed  exceedingly,  th^it  it  shall  not 
be  numbered  for  multitude  :'  and  again,  '  Behold  I  have 
blessed  him,  and  will  make  him  fruitful,  and  will  multiply 
him  exceedingly.'  These  passages  evince  that  the  pro- 
phecy doth  not  so  properly  relate  to  Ishmael,  as  to  his 
posterity,  which  is  here  foretold  to  be  very  numerous. 
Ishmael  married  an  Egyptian  woman,  as  his  mother  was 

*  [God  is  not  said  to  have  heard  her  prayer,  for  it  does  not  ap- 
pear that  she,  as  yet,  had  ever  called  upon  his  name  ;  she  merely 
sat  bewailing-  herself,  and  not  knowing  what  would  become  of  her 
—yet,  lo,  the  ear  of  mercy  is  open  to  affliction  itself!  The 
groans  of  the  prisoner  are  heard  of  God  ;  not  only  theirs  who 
cry  unto  him,  but,  in  many  cases,  theirs  who  do  not.} 

Fuller. 


44f  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

likewise  an  Egyptian  :  Gen.  xxi.  21.  and  in  a  few  years, 
his  family  was  increased  so,  that  in  the  37th  chapter  of 
Genesis  we  read  of  Ishmaelites  trading  into  Egypt.  Af- 
terwards his  seed  was  multiplied  exceedingly  in  the  Ha- 
garenes,  who  probably  were  denominated  from  his  mother 
Hagar ;  and  in  the  Nabathxans,  who  had  their  name 
from  his  son  Nebaioth  ;  and  in  the  Itureans,  who  were  so 
called  from  his  son  Jetur  or  Itur  ;  and  in  the  Arabs,  es- 
pecially the  Scenites,  and  the  Saracens,  who  over-ran  a 
great  part  of  the  world  :  and  his  descendants,  the  Arabs, 
are  a  very  numerous  people  at  this  day. 

'  Twelve  princes  shall  he  beget.'  This  circumstance 
is  very  particular,  but  it  was  punctually  fulfilled;  and  Mo- 
ses hath  given  us  the  names  of  these  twelve  princes. 
Gen.  XXV.  >6.  '  These  are  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  and  these 
are  their  names,  by  their  towns,  and  by  their  castles  ; 
twelve  princes  according  to  their  nations  :'  by  which  we 
are  to  understand,  not  that  they  were  so  many  distinct 
sovereign  princes,  but  only  heads  of  clans  or  tribes. 
Strabo  frequently  mentions  the  Arabian  phylarchs  as  he 
denominates  them,  or  rulers  of  tribes  :  and-  Melo,  quoted 
by  Eusebius  from  Alexander  Polyhistor,  a  heathen  histo- 
rian, relates  that  "  Abraham*  of  his  Egyptian  wife  begat 
12  sons  (he  should  have  said  one  son  who  begat  12  sons) 
who  departing  into  Arabia  divided  the  region  between 
them,  and  were  the  first  kings  of  the  inhabitants ;  whence 
even  to  our  days  the  Arabians  have  twelve  kings  of  the 
same  names  as  the  first."  And  ever  since  the  people 
have  been  gj^verned  by  phylarchs,and  have  lived  in  tribes ; 
and  still  continue  to  do  so,  as  Thevenot't  and  other  mo- 
dern travellers  testify- 

*  And  I  will  make  him  a  great  nation.*  This  is  repeat- 
ed twice  or  thrice  ;  and  it  was  accomplished,  as  soon  as 

*  He  (Abraham)  of  his  Eg-yptian  wife  begat  twelve  soas,  who 
going  into  Arabia  divided  that  country  among  themselves,  and 
were  the  first  who  arrived  at  sovereign  authority  therein.  From 
thence  it  hath  come  to  pass,  that  the  Arabians  even  down  to  the 
times  in  which  we  live,  reckon  twelve  kings  reigning  over  them, 
who  are  called  by  the  same  names  with  their  first  sovereigns.  See 
the  Evangelical  preparation  of  Eusebins,  Book  IX.  Chap.  xix. 
page  421.  in  the  edition  of  Vigerus. 

t  See  Part  I.  Book  2.  Chap.  32.  See  likewise  Harris'  Voyages, 
Vol.2.  Book  2.   Chap.  9. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  45 

in  the  regular  course  of  nature  it  could  be  accomplished. 
His  seed  in  process  of  time  grew  up  into  a  great  nation, 
and  such  they  continued  for  several  ages,  and  such  they 
remain  to  this  day.  They  might  indeed  emphatically  be 
stiled  a  great  nation^  when  the  Saracens  had  made  those 
rapid  and  extensive  conquests,  and  erected  one  of  the 
largest  empires  ihat  ever  were  in  the  world. 

*  And  he  will  be  a  wild  man.'  In  the  original  it  is  a 
"'^ild  ass  man,  and  the  learned  Eochart  *  translates  it  tain 
ferus  quam  onager^  as  wild  as  a  wild  ass  ;  so  that  that 
should  be  eminently  true  of  him,  which  in  the  book  of 
Job  xl,  12.  is  affirmed  of  mankind  in  general,  'Man  is 
born  like  a  wild  asses  colt.'  But  what  is  the  nature  of 
the  creature,  to  which  Ishmael  is  so  particularly  compar- 
ed ?  It  cannot  be  described  better  than  it  is  in  the  same 
book  of  Job  xxxix.  5,  Sec.  '  Who  hath  sent  out  the  wild 
ass  free  ?  or  who  hath  loosed  the  bands  of  the  wild  ass  ? 
Whose  house  I  have  made  the  wilderness,  and  the  barren 
land  his  dwellings.  He  scorneth  the  multitude  of  the 
city,  neither  regardeth  he  the  crying  of  the  driver.  The 
range  of  the  mountains  is  his  pasture,  and  he  searcheth 
every  green  thing.'  Ishmael  therefore  and  his  posterity 
were  to  be  wild,  fierce,  savage,  ranging  in  the  deserts,  and 
not  easily  softened  and  tamed  to  society  :  and  whoever 
hath  read  or  known  any  thing  of  this  people,  knoweth  this 
to  be  their  true  and  genuine  character..  It  is  said  of  Ish- 
mael, Gen.  xxi.  20,  that  '  he  dwelt  in  the  wilderness,  and 
became  an  archer  ;'  and  the  same  is  no  less  true  of  his 
descendants  than  himself.  'He  dwelt  in  the  wilderness;' 
and  his  sons  still  inhabit  the  same  wilderness,  and  many 
of  them  neither  sow  nor  plant  t  according  to  the  best  ac- 
counts ancient  and  modern.  '  And  he  became  an  archer  ;* 
and  such  were  the  Itureans,  whose  bows|  and  arrows  are 
famous  in  all  authors ;  such  were  the  mighty  men  of  Ke- 

*  See  the  first  Part  of  Bochart's  Hierozoicon,  Book  I.  Chap. 
xvi.  Col.  878. 

f  See  Amianus  Marcellinus,  Book  XIV.  Chap.  iv.  page  14.  in 
the  edition  of  Valesius  printed  at  Paris,  1681.  See  also  Harris* 
Voyages,  Vol.  II.  Book  II.  Chap.  ix. 

t  The  wood  of  the  yew-tree  is  bent  into  Iturean  bows.  See 
Virgil's  Georgics,  Book II.  line  448. — From  thence  apassage  was 
opened  for  Iturean  arrows.    See  Lucan  VU.  oO. 


46  DISSERTATIONS  0%" 

dar  in  Isaiah's  time;  Is.  xxi.  17.  and  such  the  Arabs, 
have  been  from  the  beginning,  and  are  at  this  time.  It 
was  late  before  they  admitted  the  use  of  fire  arms  among 
them ;  *  the  greater  part  of  them  are  still  strangers  t© 
them,  and  still  continue  skilful  archers. 

*  His  hand  will  be  against  every  man,  and  every  man's 
hand  against  him.*  The  one  is  the  natural  and  almost 
necessaiy  consequence  of  the  other.  Ishmael  lived  by 
prey  and  rapine  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  his  posterity  hav« 
all  along  infested  Arabia  and  the  neighbouring  countries 
with  their  robberies  and  incursions.  They  live  in  a  state 
of  continual  war  with  the  rest  of  the  world,  and  are  both 
robbers  by  land,  and  pirates  by  sea.  As  they  have  been 
such  enemies  to  mankind,  it  is  no  wonder  that  mankind 
have  been  enemies  to  them  again,  that  several  attempts 
have  been  made  to  extirpate  them ;  and  even  now  as  well 
as  formerly,  travellers  are  forced  to  go  with  arms  and  in 
caravans  or  large  companies,  and  to.  n>arch  and  keep 
watch  and  guard  like  a  little  army,  to  defend  themselves 
from  the  assaults  of  these  freebooters,  who  run  about  in 
troops,  and  rob  and  plunder  all  whom  they  can  by  any 
means  subdue.  These  robberies  they  also  f  justify,  "  by 
alleging  the  hard  usage  of  their  father  Ishmael,  who  be- 
ing turned  out  of  doors  by  Abraham  had  the  open  plains 
and  deserts  given  him  by  God  for  his  patrimony,  with  per- 
missiSn  to  take  whatever  he  could  find  there.  And  on 
this  account  they  think  they  may,  with  a  safe  conscience, 
indemnify  themselves,  as  well  as  they  can,  not  only  on 
the  posterity  of  Isaac,  but  also  on  every  body  else  ;  always 
supposing  a  sort  of  kindred  between  themselves  and  those 
they  plunder.  And  in  relating  their  adventures  of  this 
kind,  they  think  it  sufficient  to  change  the  expression, 
and  instead  of  I  robbed  a  ?na7i  of  stick  or  such  a  things  to 
say,  I  gained  it.** 

'  And  he  shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren  ;* 
shall  tabernacle^  for  many  of  the  Arabs  dwell  in  tents,  and 
are  therefore  called  Scenites.  It  appears  that  they  dwelt 
in  tents  in  the  wilderness  so  long  ago  as  in  Isaiah  and 

*  Thevenot  in  Harris,  Vol-  2.  Book  2.  Chap.  ix. 

•j-  Sale's  Preliminary  Discourse  to  the  Koran,  Sect.  I.  page  30, 
31,  where  he  also  quotes  9.  book  intituled,  A  Journey  into  Pales- 
tine. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  47 

Jeremiah's  time ;  Isa.  xiii.  20.  Jer.  iii.  2.  and  they  do  the 
same  at  this  day.  This  is  very  extraordinary,  that 
*  his  hand  should  be  against  every  man,  and  every  man's 
hand  against  him,'  and  yet  that  he  should  be  able  '  to 
dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren  :'  but  extraordi- 
nary as  it  Was,  this  also  hath  been  fulfilled  both  in  the  per- 
son of  Ishmael,  and  in  his  posterity.  As  for  Ishmael 
himself,  the  sacred  historian  afterwards  relates,  Gen.xxv. 
17,  1 8.  that  *  the  years  of  the  life  of  Ishmael  were  an  hun- 
dred and  thirty  and  seven  years,  and  he  died  in  the  pre- 
sence of  all  his  brethren.*  As  for  his  posterity,  they  dwelt 
likewise  in  the  presence  of  all  their  brethren,  Abraham's 
sons  by  Keturah,  the  Moabites  and  Atnmonites  descend- 
ants of  Lot,  the  Israelites  descendants  of  Abraham,  Isaac 
and  Jacob,  and  the  Edomites  descrendants  of  Abraham, 
Isaac  and  Esau.  And  they  still  subsist  a  distinct  people, 
and  inhabit  the  country  of  their  progenitors,  notwith- 
standing the  perpetual  enmity  between  them  and  the  rest 
of  mankind.  It  may  be  said  perhaps  that  the  country 
was  not  worth  conquering,  and  its  barrenness  was  its 
preservation  :  but  this  is  a  mistake,  for  by  all  accounts, 
though  the  greater  part  of  it  be  sandy  and  barren  deserts, 
yet  here  and  there  are  interspersed  beautiful  spots  and 
fruitful  vallies.  -One  part  of  the  country  was  anciently 
known  and  distinguished  by  the  name  of  Arabia  the  hafi- 
py.  And  now  the  proper  Arabia  is  by  the  oriental  wri- 
ters generally  divided  into  five  provinces.  Of  these  the 
chief  is  the  province  of  Yaman,  which,  as  a  learned 
writer*  asserts  upon  good  authorities,  "  has  been  famous 
from  all  antiquity  for  the  happiness  of  its  climate,  its  fer- 
tility and  riches.  The  delightfulness  and  plenty  of  Ya- 
man are  owing  to  its  mountains  ;  for  all  that  part  which 
lies  along  the  Red  Sea,  is  a  dry  barren  desert,  in  some 
places  10  or  12  leagues  over,  but  in  return  bounded  by 
those  mountains,  which  being  well  watered,  enjoy  an  al- 
most continual  spring ;  and  besides  coffee,  the  peculiar 
produce  of  this  country,  yield  great  plenty  and  variety  of 
fruits,  and  in  particular  excellent  corn,  grapes,  and  spices. 
The  soil  of  the  other  provinces  is  much  more  barren  than 
that  of  Yaman  ;  the  greater  part  of  their  territories  bein^ 

*  Sale's  Preliminary  Discourse,  ibid,  page  2,  3. 


48  DiSSERTATIONS  ON 

covered  with  dry  sands,  or  rising  into  rocks,  interspersed 
here  and  there  with  some  fruitful  spots,  which  receive 
their  greatest  advantages  from  their  water  and  palm 
trees.".  But  if  the  country  was  ever  so  bad,  one  would 
think  it  should  be  for  the  interest  of  the  neighbouring 
princes  and  states  at  any  hazard  to  root  out  such  a  pesti- 
lent race  of  robbers :  and  actually  it  hath  several  times 
been  attempted,  but  never  accomplished.  They  have  from 
first  to  last  maintained  their  independency,  and  notwith- 
standing the  most  powerful  efforts  for  their  destruction, 
still  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  their  brethren,  and  in  the 
presence  of  all  their  enemies. 

We  find  that  in  the  time  of  Moses,  they  were  grown 
up  into  '  twelve  princes  according  to  their  nations  ;*  Gen. 
XXV.  16.  *  and  they  dwelt,'  saith  Moses,  ver.  18.  'from 
Havilah  unto  Shur,  that  is  before  Egypt,  as  thou  goest 
towards  Assyria  :*  but  yet  we  do  not  find  that  they  were 
ever  subject  to  either  of  their  powerful  neighbours,  the 
Egyptians  or  Assyrians.  The  conquests  of  Sesostris,  the 
great  king  of  Egypt,  are  much  magnified  by  Diodorus 
Siculus;  and  probably  he  might  subdue  some  of  the 
western  provinces  of  Arabia  bordering  upon  Egypt,  but 
he  was  obliged,  as  Diodorus  *  informs  us,  to  draw  a  line 
from  Heliopolis  to  Pelusium,  to  secure  Egypt  from  the 
incursions  of  the  Arabs.  They  were  therefore  not  sub- 
jects, but  enemies  to  the  Egyptians  ;  as  they  were  like- 
wise to  the  Assyrians,  for  they  assisted  t  Belesis  and  Ar- 
baces  in  overturning  that  empire,  assisted  them  not  as 
fellow  rebels,  but  as  an  independent  state  with  their  aux- 
iliary forces. 

The  next  great  conquerors  of  the  east  were  Cyrus  and 
the  Persians ;  but  neither  he  nor  any  of  his  successors  ever- 
reduced  the  whole  body  of  the  Arabs  to  subjection.  They 
might  conquer  some  of  the  exterior,  but  never  reached 
the  interior  parts  of  the  country :  and  Herodotus,  the 
historian  who  lived  nearest  to  those  times,  saith  expressly, 


*  See  Diodorus  Sicnlus,  Book  1.  page  36,  in  the  edition  of  Ste- 
-phanus,  and  page  52,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

t  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  II.  page  79,    in  the  edition  of 
Stephanas,  and  page  111,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  49 

that  the  Arabs  *  were  never  reduced  by  the  Persians  to 
the  condition  of  subjects,  but  were  considered  by  ihem  as 
friends,  and  opened  to  them  a  passage  into  Egypt,  which 
without  the  assistance  and  permission  of  the  Arabs  would 
have  been  utterly  impracticable  ;  and  in  another  place  f 
he  saith,  that  while  Phoenicia,  Palestine,  Syria,  and  the 
neighbouring  countries  were  taxed,  the  Arabian  territo- 
ries continued  free  from  paying  any  tribute.  They  were 
then  regarded  as  friends,  but  afterwards  they  assisted  with 
their  forces  Amyrtaeus  |  king  of  Egypt  against  Darius 
Nothus,  and  Euagoras  §  king  of  Cyprus  against  Arta- 
xerxes  Mnemon ;  so  that  they  acted  as  friends  or  ene- 
mies to  the  Persians,  just  as  they  thought  proper,  and  as 
it  suited  their  humour  or  their  interest. 

Alexander  the  great  then  overturned  the  Persian  em- 
pire, and  conquered  Asia.  The  neighbouring  princes 
sent  their  ambassadors  to  make  their  submissions.  The 
Arabs  ||  alone  disdained  to  acknowledge  the  conqueror, 
and  scorned  to  send  any  embassy,  or  take  any  notice  of 
him.  This  slight  provoked  him  to  such  a  degree,  that  he 
meditated  an  expedition  against  them  ;  and  the  great  pre- 
parations which  he  made  for  it,  showed  that  he  thought 
them  a  very  formidable  enemy  :  but  death  intervened, 
and  put  an  end  to  all  that  his  ambition  or  resentment  had 
formed  against  them.  Thus  they  happily  escaped  the 
fury  of  his  arms,  and  were  never  subdued  by  any  of  his 
successors,     Antigonus,  one  of  the  greatest  of  his  suc- 

*  The  Arabians  never  were  subdued  by  the  Persians.  Unless 
a  free  passage  had  been  granted  by  them  to  Cambyses  the  king 
of  Persia,  that  prince  would  never  have  been  able  to  force  his 
way  through  their  country  to  invade  Egvpt.  See  Gale's  edition 
of  Herodotus,  Book  I[I.  Sect.  88,  pag-e  198. 

t  See  the  same,  Sect.  91,  page  199.  Beyond  the  territory  of 
Arabia,  for  this  country  was  free. 

i  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XHI.  page  355,  In  the  edition  of 
Stephanus.  Vol.  ii.  page  172,  in  the  edition  of  Rhodomanus. 
See  Prideaux  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  VI.  In  the  year  410. 

§  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XV.  page  459,  in  the  edition  of 
Stephanus.  Vol  II.  page  328,  in  the  edition  of  Itliodomanus.  See 
also  Prideaux  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  VII.  vear  3  86. 

|i  See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  page  1076,  and  1132,  in   the  edition 
of  Amsterdam  printed  in  1707.  AndArrian  Book  VII.  page  300, 
in  the  edition  of  Gronovius. 
VOL.  I.  E 


so  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

cessors,*^  made  two  attempts  upon  them,  one  by  his  gen- 
eral Athenaeus,  and  the  other  by  his  own  son  Demetrius, 
but  both  without  success ;  the  former  was  defeated,  and 
the  latter  was  glad  to  make  peace  with  them,  and  leave 
them  at  their  liberty.  Neither  would  they  suffer  the 
people  employed  by  Antigonus,  to  gather  the  bitumen  on 
the  lake  Asphaltites,  whereby  he  hoped  greatly  to  increase 
his  revenue.  The  Arabs  fiercely  attacked  the  workmen 
and  the  guards,  and  forced  them  to  desist  from  their  un- 
dertaking. So  true  is  the  assertion  of  Diodorusjf  that 
"  neither  the  Assyrians  formerly,  nor  the  kings  of  the 
Mades  and  Persians,  nor  yet  of  the  Macedonians,  were 
able  to  subdue  them ;  nay  though  they  led  many  and 
great  forces  against  them,  yet  they  could  not  accomplish 
their  attempts."  We  find  them  afterwards  sometimes  at 
peace,  and  sometimes  at  war  with  the  neighbouring  states ; 
sometimes  joining  the  Syrians,  and  sometimes  the  Egyp- 
tians; sometimes  assisting  the  Jews,  and  sometimes 
plundering  them  ;  and  in  all  respects  acting  like  a  free 
people,  who  neither  feared  nor  courted  any  foreign  power 
-whatever. 

The  Romans  then  invaded  the  east,  and  subdued  the 
countries  adjoining,  but  were  never  able  to  reduce  Arabia 
into  the  form  of  a  Roman  province.  It  is  too  common 
with  historians  to  say,  that  such  or  such  a  country  was 
conquered,  when  perhaps  only  a  part  of  it  was  so.  It  is 
thus  that  Plutarch  \  asserts,  that  the  Arabs  submitted  to 
LucuUus  ;  whereas  the  most  that  we  can  believe  is,  that 
he  might  subdue  some  particular  tribes  ;  but'  he  was  re- 
called, and  the  command  of  the  Roman  army  in  Asia  was 
given  to  Pompey.  Pompey,  though  he  triumphed  over 
the  three  parts  of  the  world,  could  not  yet  conquer  Arabia. 

♦  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XIX.  page  722,  &c.  in  Stepha- 
nus'  edition,  and  Vol.  II.  page  730,  in  that  of  Khodomanus. 

f  Neither  the  Assyrians  in  ancient  times, nor  the  kings  of  the 
Medes  and  Persians  afterwards,  nor  even  those  of  Macedon  were 
able  to  subjugate  them.  Although  all  these  put  in  motion, 
agaiiist  them,  many  well  appointed  armies,  yet  their  enterprises 
were  never  crowned  with  success.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book 
II.  page  92,  in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  131,  in  that  of  Kho- 
domanus. 

4  See  Plutarch,  every  where  in  his  life  of  Lucullus. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  3% 

He  *  carried  his  arms  into  the  country,  obtained  some 
victories,  and  (  omi)eJled  Arelas  to  submit  ;  but  other  af- 
fairs soon  oblir]^ed  him  to  retire,  and  by  retiring,  he  lost  all 
the  advanta;a,es  which  he  had  gained.  His  forces  were 
no  sooner  withdrawn,  than  the  Arabs  made  their  incur- 
sions again  into  the  Ionian  provinces.  iElius  Gallus  in 
the  reign  of  Augublust  penetrated  far  into  the  country, 
but  a  strange  distemper  made  terrible  havoc  in  his  army, 
and  after  two  years  spent  in  this  unfortunate  ex]>edition, 
he  was  glad  to  escape  with  the  small  remainder  of  hir; 
forces.  The  emperor  Trajan  reduced  some  parts  of  Ara- 
bia, but  he  could  never  subdue  it  entirely  ;  and  when  he 
besieged  the  city  of  the  Haji,arenes,  as  Dion  \  says,  his  sol- 
diers were  repelled  by  lightnings,  thunderings,  hail, 
whirlwinds,  and  other  prodigies,  and  were  constantly  so 
repelled,  as  often  as  they  renewed  their  assaults.  At  the 
same  time,  great  swarms  of  flies  infested  his  camp  ;  so 
that  he  was  forced  at  last  to  raise  the  siege,  and  retired 
with  disgrace  into  his  own  dominions.  About  eighty 
years  after,  the  emperor  Severus  twice  besieged  the  same 
city  with  a  numerous  army,  and  a  train  of  military  en- 
gines ;  but  he  had  no  better  success  than  Trajan.  God, 
says  5  the  heathen  historian,  preserved  the  city  by  the 
backwardness  of  the  emperor  at  one  time,  and  by  that  of 
his  forces  at  another.     He  made  some  assaults,  but  was 

*  See  Plutarch  in  his  life  of  Pompey.'  Page  GIO,  Sec.  in  the 
Paris  edition  of  1624. 

f  See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  page  1126,  in  the  Amsterdam  edition 
of  1707.  See  also  Dion  Cassius,  Book  LIIl.  page  516,  in  Leun- 
clavius'  edition  printed  at  Hanover,  in  1606.  Dion  calls  him  by 
mistake  Aelius  Largus. 

±  There  were  thunderings.  Tlie  rainbow  appeared.  Flashes 
of  lightning,  furious  storms,  hail  and  thunderbolts  assailed  the 
Romans  as  often  as  they  attacked  them.  (The  Hagarenes.)  As 
often  too  as  they  provided  a  meal,  great  swarms  of  liies  sending 
forth  a  dreadful  stench  perched  on  their  meats  and  drinks.  For 
these  reasons  Trajan  retired  from  thence.  See  Dion's  History. 
Book  LXVIII.  page  785,  in  Leunclavius'  edition  printed  at  Han- 
over, 1606. 

§  And  thus  God  delivered  the  city  (of  the  Hagarenes,)  by  tlu^ 
emperor  Severus  recalling  his  soldiers,  at  a  time,  when  they  had 
it  in  their  power  to  take  it,  and  afterwards  when  he  was  desir- 
ous of  possessing  it,  he  was  hindered  by  the  obstinacy  of  his  sol- 
diers.   See  the  same  Book  LXXV.  page  855. 


52  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

baffled  and  defeated,  and  returned  with  precipitation  as 
great  as  his  vexation  for  his  disappointment.  And  if  such 
great  empeiors  and  able  warriors  as  I'rajan  and  Severus 
eould  not  succeed  in  their  attempts,  it  is  no  wonder  that 
the  foilowino;  emperors  could  prevail  nothing.  The 
Arabs  continued  their  incursions  and  depredations,  in 
Syria  and  other  Roman  provinces,  with  equal  licence  and 
impunity. 

Such  was  the  state  arrd  condition  of  the  Arabs  to  the 
time  of  their  famous  prophet  Mahommed,  who  laid  the 
foundation  of  a  mighty  empire  :  and  then  for  several  cen- 
turies they  w^ere  better  known  among  the  European  na- 
tions by  the  name  of  the  Sarraccni  or  Saracene^  the  ^irru' 
C(?m*  of  Pliny,  and  the  Ha^q^arenesf  of  holy  scripture. 
Their  conquests  were  indeed  amazingly  rapid  ;  they  can 
be  compared  to  nothing  more  properly  than  to  a  sudden 
flood  or  inundation.  In  a  few  years  the  Saracens  over- 
ran more  countiies,  and  subdued  more  people  than  the 
Romans  did  in  several  centuries.  They  were  then  not 
only  free  and  independent  of  the  rest  of  the  woi  Id,  but 
^vere  themselves  masters  of  the  most  considerable  parts 
of  the  earth.  And  so  they  continued  for  about  t  three 
centuries ;  and  after  their  empire  was  dissolved,  and  they 
were  reduced  within  the  limits  of  their  native  country, 
they  still  maintained  their  liberty  against  the  Tartars, 
Mamalucs,  Turks,  and  all  foreign  nations  whatever.  Who- 
ever were  the  conquerors  of  Asia,  they  were  still  uncon- 
quered,  still  continued  their  incursions,  and  preyed  upon 
all  alike.  The  Turks  have  now  for  several  centuries  been 
lords  of  the  adjacent  countries  ;  but  they  have  been  so 
little  able  to  restrain  the  depredations  of  the  Arabs,  that 
they  have  been  obliged  §  to  pay  them  a  sort  of  annu- 

*  See  Pliny's  Natural  History,  Book  VI.  Chap,  xxxii.  and  the 
note  of  Hardiiin. 

f  HagareneSj  tlie  descendants  of  Ishmael  They  are  called  also 
Ishmaelites  and  Saracens,  Sec  Calmet's  Diet. 

i  The  Saracens  beg^an  their  conquests,  A.  D.  622,  and  to  reign 
at  Damascus  A.  D.  637.  Theh*  empire  was  broken  and  divided 
A.  D.  936.  See  Dr.  lUair's  Chronol.  Tables.  Tab.  o3»  and  39,  and 
Sir  Isaac  Newton  on  the  Apocalypse.  Chap.  3,  pag-e  304,  305. 

§  See  Thevenot  m  Harris,  Vol".  2,  Book  11.  Chap.  9,  and  Deme- 
trius Cantemir's  Hist,  of  the  Oihnian  empire  in  Ashmed  II.  pag« 


THE  PROPHECIES.  53 

al  tribute  for  the  safe  passage  and  security  of  the  pil- 
grims, who  usually  go  in  great  companies  to  Mecca ;  so 
that  the  Turks  have  rather  been  dependant  upon  them, 
than  they  upon  the  Turks.  And  they  still  continue  the 
same  practices,  and  preserve  the  same  superiority,  if  we 
may  believe  the  concurrent  testimony  of  modern  travel- 
lers of  all  nations. 

Two  of  our  own  nation  have  lately  travelled  into  those 
parts,  and  have  written  and  published  their  travels,  both 
men  of  literature,  both  reverend  divines,  and  writers  of 
credit  and  character.  Dr.  Shaw  and  Bishop  Pococke  ; 
and  in  several  instances  they  confirm  the  account  that  we 
have  given  of  this  people.  "  With  regard  to  the  manners 
and  customs  of  the  Bedoweens,  saith  Dr.  Shaw,*  it  is  to 
be  observed  that  they  retain  a  great  many  of  those  we  read 
of  in  sacred  as  well  as  profane  history  ;  being,  if  w'e  ex- 
cept their  religion,  the  same  people  they  were  two  or 
three  thousand  years  ago;  without  ever  embracing  any  of 
those  novelties  in  dress  or  behaviour,  which  have  had  so 
many  periods  and  revolutions  in  the  Moorish  and  Turkish 
cities."  And  after  giving  some  account  of  their  hospi- 
tality, he  proceeds  thus :  "  Yet  the  outward  behaviour  of 
the  Arab  frequently  gives  the  lie  to  his  inward  temper 
and  inclination.  For  he  is  naturally  thievish  and  treach- 
erous ;  and  it  sometimes  happens  that  those  very  persons 
are  overtaken  and  pillaged  in  the  morning,  who  were  en- 
tertained the  night  before,  with  all  the  instances  of  friend- 
ship and  hospitality.  Neither  are  they  to  be  accused  for 
plundering  strangers  only,  and  attacking  almost  every 
person,  whom  they  find  unarmed  and  defenceless,  but  for 
those  many  implacable  and  hereditary  animosities,  which 
continually  subsist  among  them,  literally  fulfilling  to  this 
day  the  prophecy,  that  Ishmael  should  be  a  nviid  man  ;  his 
hand  should  be  against  every  man,  aJid  every  man^s  hand 
against  him.'*  Dr.  Shawf  himself  was  robbed  and  plun- 
dered by  a  party  of  Arabs  in  his  journey  from  Ramah  to 
Jerusalem,  though  he  was  escorted  by  four  bands  of  Turk- 
ish soldiers :  and  yet  the  Turks  at  the  same  time  paid  a 
stipulated  sum  to  the  Arabs,  in  order  to  secure  a  safe  pas- 


*  Shaw's  Travels,  page  300,  Sec. 
t  Preface  to  his  Travels,  page  vii. 
E  2 


54:  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

sage  for  their  caravans  :  and  there  cannot  surely  be  u 
stronger  proof,  not  only  of  the  indei)endency  of  the  Arabs, 
but  even  of  their  superiority,  not  only  of  their  enjoying 
their  liberty,  but  even  of  their  abusing  it  to  licentiousness. 
Bishop  Pococke  was  the  last  who  travelled  into  those 
parts  ;  and  he  hath  informed  us,  that  the  present  inhabit- 
ants of  Arabia  resemble  the  ancient  in  several  respects  ; 
that  they*  live  under  tents,  and  stay  in  one  place  as  long 
as  they  have  water  and  shrubs  and  trees  for  their  camels 
to  feed  on,  for  there  is  no  tillage  nor  grass  in  all  this 
country  ;  that  all  their  riches  consist  in  camels,  a  few 
goats,  and  sometimes  sheep,  so  that  they  live  in  great 
poverty,  having  nothing  but  a  few  dates  and  a  little  goats 
milk,  and  bring  all  their  corn  eight  or  ten  days  journey 
from  Cairo  ;  that  they  are  in  different  nations  or  clans, 
each  obeying  the  orders  of  its  great  chief,  and  every  en- 
campment those  of  its  particular  chief ;  and  though  seem- 
ingly divided,  yet  they  are  all  united  in  a  sort  of  league 
together;  that  they  love  plunder, f  and  the  roving  sort 
of  life  this  disposition  leads  them  to  ;  have  good  horses, 
and  manage  them  and  their  pikes  with  much  address; 
those  on  foot  use  poles,  with  which  they  fence  off  the 
spear,  with  great  art.  So  that  authors,  both  sacred  and 
profane,  Jewish  and  Arabian,  Greek  and  Roman,  Chris- 
tian and  Mahommedan,  ancient  and  modern,  all  agree  in 
the  same  account :  and  if  any  are  desirous  of  seeing  the 
matter  deduced  more  at  large,  they  may  be  referred  to  a 
dissertation  upon  the  independency  of  the  Arabs,  by  the 
learned  authors  of  the  Universal  History. 

An  author,  who  hath  lately  published  an  account  of 
Persia,  having  occasion  to  speak  of  the  Arabians,!  says, 
*'  their  expertness  in  the  use  of  the  lance  and  sabre,  ren- 
ders them  fierce  and  intrepid.  Their  skill  in  horseman- 
ship, and  their  capacity  of  bearing  the  heat  of  their  burn- 
ing plains,  give  them  also  a  superiority  over  their  ene- 
mies. Plence  every  petty  chief  in  his  own  district  con- 
siders himself  as  a  sovereign  prince,  and  as  s\ich  exacts 
customs  from  all  passengers.     Their  conduct  in  this  re- 

*  Pococke's  Description  of  the  East,  Vol.  I.  Book  III.  Chap.  2. 

f  Book  IV.  Chap.  4. 

^  Ilanway's  Travels,  Vol.  4,  Part  5.  Chap.  xxix.  pa^e221.  Sec. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  5.; 

spect  has  often  occasioned  their  being  considered  in  no 
better  light  than  robbers,  £cc.  They  generally  marry 
Avithin  their  own  tribe,  See.  When  they  plunder  caravans 
travelling  through  their  territories,  they  consider  it  as 
reprisals  on  the  Turks  and  Persians,  who  often  make  in- 
roads into  their  country,  and  carry  away  their  corn  and 
their  flocks." 

Who  can  fairly  consider  and  lay  all  these  particulars 
together,  and  not  perceive  the  hand  of  God  in  this  whole 
aftair  from  the  beginning  to  the  end  ?  -  The  sacred  histo- 
rian saith,  that  these  prophecies  concerning  Ishmael  were 
delivered  partly  by  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  and  partly  by 
God  himself:  and  indeed  who  but  God,  or  one  raised  and 
commissioned  by  him,  could  describe  so  particularly  the 
genius  and  manners,  not  only  of  a  single  person  before  he 
was  born,  but  of  a  whole  people  from  the  first  founder  of 
the  race  to  the  present  time  ?  It  was  somewhat  wonder- 
ful, and  not  to  be  foreseen  by  human  sagacity  or  prudence, 
that  a  man's  whole  posterity  should  so  nearly  resemble 
him,  and  retain  the  same  inclinations,  the  same  habits, 
the  same  customs  throughout  all  ages.  The  waters  of 
the  purest  spring  or  fountain  are  soon  changed  and  pol- 
luted in  their  course  ;  and  the  farther  still  tliey  flow,  the 
more  they  are  incorporated  and  lost  in  other  waters.  How 
have  the  modern  Italians  degenerated  from  the  courage 
and  virtues  of  the  old  Romans  ?  How  are  the  French  and 
English  polished  and  refined  from  the  barbarism  of  the 
ancient  Gauls  and  Uritons  ?  Men  and  manners  change 
•with  times  :  but  in  all  changes  and  revolutions  the  Arabs 
have  still  continued  the  same  with  little  or  no  alteration. 
And  yet  it  cannot  be  said  of  them,  as  of  some  barbarous 
nations,  that  they  have  had  no  commerce  or  intercourse 
with  the  rest  of  mankind ;  for  by  their  conquests  they 
over-ran  a  great  part  of  the  earth,  and  for  some  centuries 
were  masters  of  most  of  the  learning  that  was  then  in  the 
world  :  but,  however,  they  remained  and  still  remain  the 
same  fierce,  savage,  intractable  people,  like  their  great 
ancestor  in  every  thing,  and  different  from  most  of  the 
world  besides,  Ishmael  was  circumcised  ;  and  so  are  his 
posterity  to  this  day :  and  as  Ishmael  was  circumcised 
when  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  so  were^the  Arabs  at  the 


56  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

same  a^-e  according  to  Josephus.*  He  was  born  of  Ha- 
gar,  who  was  a  concubine  ;  and  they  still  indulge  them- 
selves in  the  use  of  mercenary  wives  and  concubines.  He 
lived  in  tents  in  the  wilderness,  shifting  from  place  to 
place  ;  and  so  do  his  descendants,  particularly  those  there- 
fore called  Scenitesf  formerly,  and  those  called  Bedoweens 
at  this  day.  He  was  an  archer  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  so 
are  they.  He  was  to  be  the  father  of  twelve  princes  or 
heads  of  tribes ;  and  they  live  in  clans  or  tribes  at  this 
day.  He  was  a  wild  man,  his  hand  against  every  man, 
and  every  man's  hand  against  him  :  and  they  live  in  the 
same  state  of  war,  their  hand  against  every  man,  and  every 
man's  hand  against  them. 

This,  I  say,  is  somewhat  v/onderful,  that  the  same^eo- 
ple  should  retain  the  same  dispositions  for  so  many  ages; 
but  it  is  still  more  wonderful,  that,  with  these  dispositions, 
and  this  enmity  to  the  whole  world,  they  should  still  sub- 
sist in  spite  of  the  world  an  independent  and  free  people. 
It  cannot  be  pretended,  that  no  probable  attempts  were 
ever  made  to  conquer  them  ;  for  the  greatest  conquerors 
in  the  world  have  almost  all  in  their  turns  attempted  it, 
and  some  of  them  have  been  very  near  effecting  it.  It 
cannot  be  pretended  that  the  dryness  or  inaccessibleness 
of  their  country  hath  been  their  preservation  ;  for  their 
country  hath  been  often  penetrated,  though  never  entirely 
subdued.  I  know  that  Diodorus  Siculus:^  accounts  for 
their  preservation  from  the  dryness  of  their  country,  that 
they  have  wells  digc;ed  in  proper  places  known  only  to 
themselves,  and  their  enemies  and  invaders  through  ig- 
norance of  these  places  perish  for  want  of  water:  but  this 
account  is  far  from  being  an  adequate  and  just  represen- 
tation of  the  case ;  large  armies  have  found  the  means  of 

*  See  his  Antiquities,  Book  I.  Chap,  xii.  Sect.  2,  page  29,  in 
Hudson's  edition.  And  also  Pocock's  Specimen  of  Arabian  His- 
tory, page  319. 

f  Scenites  or  Skenites, — wanderers,  so  called  from  their  tents, 
in  Greek  Skene,  which  signifies  a  tent.  Pee  Pliny,  Book  VI.  Chap, 
xxviii.  Sect.  32,  in  Havduin's  edition.  See  also  Pocock's  Speci- 
men of  Arabian  History,  page  87. 

^  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  U.  page  92,  in  Stephanus'  edi- 
tion, pag-e  131,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus,  and  Book  XIX.  page  722, 
in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  730,  in  that  of  Kiiodomanus. 


THE   PROPHECIES.  57 

subsistence  in  their  country  ;  none  of  their  powerful  inva- 
ders ever  desisted  on  this  account;  and  therefore  that  they 
have  not  been  concjuered,  we  must  impute  to  son.e  other 
cause.  When  in  all  human  probability  they  were  upon  the 
brink  of  ruin,  then  (as  we  have  before  seen  at  large)  they 
were  signally  and  providentially  delivered.  Alexander 
was  preparing  an  expedition  against  them,  when  an  in- 
fiammatoiy  fever  cut  him  off  in  the  flower  of  his  age. 
Pompey  was  in  the  career  of  his  conquests,  when  urgent 
affairs  called  him  elsewhere,  ^lius  Gallus  had  penetrated 
far  into  the  country,  when  a  fatal  disease  destroyed  great 
numbers  of  his  men,  and  obliged  him  to  return.  Trajan 
besieged  their  capital  city,  but  was  defeated  by  thunder 
and  lightning,  whirlwinds  and  other  prodigies,  and  that  as 
often  as  he  renewed  his  assaults.  Severus  besieged  the 
sauie  city  twice,  and  was  twice  repelled  from  before  it ; 
and  the  historian  Dion,  a  man  of  rank  and  character, 
though  an  heathen,  plainly  ascribes  the  defeat  of  these 
two  emperors  to  the  interposition  of  a  divine  power.  We 
who  know  the  prophecies,  may  be  more  assured  of  the 
reality  of  a  divine  interposition  :  and  indeed  otherwise 
how  could  a  single  nation  stand  out  against  the  enmity  of 
the  whole  world  for  any  length  of  time,  and  much  more 
for  near  four  thousand  years  together?  The  great  em- 
pires round  them  have  all  in  their  turns  fallen  to  ruin, 
while  they  have  continued  the  same  from  the  beginning, 
and  are  likely  to  continue  the  same  to  the  end :  and  this 
in  the  natural  course  of  human  affairs  was  so  highly  im- 
probable, if  not  altogether  impossible,  that  as  nothing  but 
a  divine  prescience  could  have  foreseen  it,  so  nothing  but 
a  divine  power  could  have  accomplished  it. 

These  are  the  only  people  besides  the  Jews,  who  have 
subsisted  as  a  distinct  people  from  the  beginning ;  and  in 
some  respects  they  very  much  resemble  each  other.  The 
Arabs  as  well  as  the  Jews  are  descended  from  Abraham, 
and  both  boast  of  their  descent  from  that  father  of  the 
faithful.  The  Arabs  as  well  as  the  Jews  are  circumcised, 
and  both  profess  to  have  derived  that  ceremony  from 
Abraham.  The  Arabs  as  well  as  the  Jews  had  originally 
twelve  patriarchs  or  heads  of  tribes,  who  were  their  princes 
or  governors.  The  Arabs  as  well  as  the  Jews  marry 
among  themselves,  and  in  their  own  tribes.    The  Arabs 


58  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

as  well  as  the  Jews  are  singular  in  several  of  their  cus- 
tonis,and  are  standing  monunnents  to  all  ages,  of  the  exact- 
ness of  the  divine  predictions,  and  of  the  veracity  of  scrip- 
tiiie  history.  We  may  with  more  confidence  believe  the 
particulars  related  of  Abraham  and  IshmaeL  when  we 
see  them  verified  in  their  posterity  at  this  day.  Tl  is  is 
havini;  as  it  were  ocular  demonstratioii  for  our  faith.  This 
is  proving  by  plain  matter  of  fact,  that  the  most  High 
ruleth  in  the  kingdom  of  men^  and  that  his  truth,  as  well 
as  his  mercy ^  endurethfor  ever. 


III. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  JACOB  AND  ESAU. 

AS  it  pleased  God  to  disclose  unto  Abraham  the  state 
and  condition  of  his  posterity  by  Ishmael,  who  was  the 
son  of  the  bond-woman  ;  it  might  be  with  reason  expect- 
ed, that  something  should  be  predicted  concerning  his 
posterity  also  by  Isaac,  who  was  the  son  of  the  free-wo- 
man. He  was  properly  the  child  of  promise,  and  the 
prophecies  relating  to  him  and  his  family  are  much  more 
numerous  than  those  relating  to  Ishmael:  but  wc  will 
select  and  enlarge  upon  such  only,  as  have  reference  to 
these  later  ages. 

It  was  promised  to  Abraham  before  Ishmael  or  any 
son  was  born  to  him,  Gen.  xii.  3. '  In  thee  shall  all  fami- 
lies of  the  earth  be  blessed.'  But  after  the  birth  of  Ish- 
mael and  Isaac,  the  promise  was  limited  to  Isaac,  Gen. 
xxi.  12.  '  for  in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called.*  And  ac- 
cordingly to  Isaac  was  the  promise  repeated,  Gen.  xxiv. 
4. '  In  thy  Seed  shall  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  be  bless- 
ed.' The  Saviour  of  the  world  therefore  was  not  to  come 
of  the  family  of  Ishmael,  but  of  the  family  of  Isaac ;  which 
is  an  argument  for  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  in 
preference  to  the  Mohammedan,  drawn  from  an  old  pro- 
phecy and  promise  made  two  thousand  years  before 
Christ,  and  much  more  before  Mohammed  was  born. 

The  land  of  Canaan  was  promised  to  Abraham  and  his 


THE  PROPHECIES.  59 

seed  four  hundred  years  before  they  took  possession  of  it. 
Gen.  XV.  It  was  promised  again  to  Isaac^  Gen.  xxvi.  3. 
*  Sojourn  in  this  land,  and  I  will  be  with  thee,  and  will 
bless  thee :  for  unto  thee  and  unto  thy  seed  I  will  give  all 
these  countries,  and  1  will  perform  the  oath  which  I  sware 
unto  Abraham  tuy  father.*  Now  it  is  very  well  known, 
that  it  was  not  till  after  the  death  of  Moses,  who  wrote 
these  things,  that  the  Israelites  got  possession  of  the  land 
under  the  command  of  Joshua.  They  remained  in  pos- 
session of  it  several  ages  in  pursuance  of  these  prophe- 
cies: and  afterwards,  when  for  their  sins  and  iniquities 
they  were  to  be  removed  from  it,  their  removal  also  was 
foretold;  both  the  carrying  away  of  the  ten  tribes,  and  the 
captivity  of  the  two  remaining  tribes  for  seventy  years, 
and  Ukcwise,  their  final  captivity  and  dispersion  into  all 
nations,  till'in  the  fulness  of  time  they  shall  be  restored 
again  to  the  land  of  their  inheritance. 

It  was  foretold  to  Abraham  that  his  posterity  should 
be  multipHed  exceedingly  above  that  of  others;  Gen.  xii. 
2.  '  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  nation;'  and  xxii.  17. '  in 
blessing  I  will  bless  thee,  in  multiplying  I  will  multiply 
thy  seed  as  the  stars  of  heaven,  and  as  the  sand  which  is 
upon  the  sea-shore.'  The  same  promise  was  continued 
to  Isaac,  Gen.  xxvi-  4.  '  I  will  make  thy  seed  to  multiply 
as  the  stars  of  heaven.*  And  not  to  mention  the  vast  in- 
crease of  their  other  posterity,  how  soon  did  their  descen- 
dants by  Jacob  grow  up  into  a  mighty  nation  ?  and  how 
numerous  were  they  formerly  in  the  land  of  Canaan  ?  how 
numerous  were  they  in  other  parts  of  the  world  accord- 
ing to  the  accounts  of  Philo  and  Joscphus  ?  and  after  the 
innumerable  massacres  and  persecutions  which  they  have 
undergone,  how  fiunierous  are  they  still  in  their  present 
dispersion  among  all  nations  ?  It  is  computed  that  there 
are  as  many  Jews  now,  or  more  than  ever  there  were, 
since  they  have  been  a  nation.  A  learned  foreigner,* 
who  hath  written  a  histoi  y  of  the  Jews  as  a  supplement 
and  continuation  of  the  history  of  Josephus,  says  that  "it 
is  impossible  to  fix  the  number  of  persons  this  nation  is 
at  present  composed  of.     But  yet  we  have  reason  to  be- 

*  See  Basnage's  History  of  the  Jews,  Book  VII.  Chap,  xxxiil. 
Sect.  15. 


6G  BISSERTATIOXS  ON 

lieve,  there  are  still  near  three  millions  of  people,  who 
profess  this  religion,  and  as  their  phrase  is,  are  ivitnesess 
of  the  unity  of  God  in  all  the  nations  of  the  world"  And 
who  could  foretel  such  a  wonderful  increase  and  propa- 
gation of  a  branch  only  of  one  man's  family,  but  the  same 
divine  power  that  could  effect  it  ? 

But  Isaac  had  two  Sons,  whose  families  did  not  grow 
up  and  incorporate  into  one  people,  but  were  separated 
into  two  different  nations :  and  therefore,  as  it  had  been 
necessary  before  to  specify  whether  Ishmaelor  Isaac  was 
to  be  heir  of  the  promises,  so  there  was  a  necessity  for 
the  same  distinction  now  between  Esau  and  Jacob.  Ac- 
cordingly, when  their  mother  had  conceived,  *  the  chil- 
dren struggled  together  within  her ;'  Gen.  xxv.  22.  and 
it  was  revealed  unto  her  by  the  Lord,  ver.  23.  '  Two  na- 
tions are  in  thy  womb,  and  two  manner  of  people  shall 
be  separated  from  thy  bowels ;  and  the  one  people  shall 
be  stronger  than  the  other  people,  and  the  elder  shall 
serve  the  younger.'  The  same  divine  spirit  influenced 
and  directed  their  father  to  give  his  final  benediction  to 
the  same  purpose :  for  thus  he  blessed  Jacob,  Gen.  xxvii. 
28,  29.  *  God  give  thee  of  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  the  fat- 
ness of  the  earth,  and  plenty  of  corn  and  wine.  Let  peo- 
ple serve  thee,  and  nations  bow  down  to  thee ;  be  lord 
over  thy  brethren,  and  let  thy  mother's  sons  bow  down  to 
thee ;  cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth  thee,  and  blessed 
be  he  that  blesseth  thee.'  And  thus  he  blesseth  Esau,  ver. 
39,  40.  ^  Behold,  thy  dwelling  shall  be  the  fatness  of 
the  earth,  and  of  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above.  And  by 
thy  sword  shalt  thou  live,  and  shalt  serve  thy  brother ; 
and  it  shall  come  to  pass  when  thou  shalt  have  the  do- 
minion, that  thou  shalt  break,  his  yoke  from  off  thy  neck.* 
But  for  greater  clearness  and  certainty  a  more  express 
revelation  was  afterwards  made  to  Jacob ;  and  the  land  of 
Canaan,  a  numerous  progeny,  and  the  blessing  of  all 
nations,  were  promised  to  him  in  particulari  Gen.  xxviii. 
13,  14.  *  I  am  the  Lord  God  of  Abraham  thy  father,  and 
the  God  of  Israel :  the  land  whereon  thou  liest,  to  thee 
will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed.  And  thy  seed  shall  be  as 
the  dust  of  the  earth ;  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad  to  the 
west,  and  to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south  ; 
and  in  thee,  and  in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the 
eai'th  be  blessed.* 


THE  PR0PIILC1E:>.  ^i 

We  have  here  a  farther  and  more  ample  proof  of  what 
was  asserted  before,  that  these  ancient  prophecies  were 
meant  not  so  much  of  single  persons,  as  of  whole  people 
and  nations  descended  from  them.  For  what  is  here  pre- 
dicted concerning  Esau  and  Jacob  was  not  verified  in 
themselves,  but  in  their  posterity.  Jacob  was  so  far  from 
bearing  rule  over  Esau,  that  he  was  forced  to  fly  his  coun- 
try for  fear  of  Esau,  Gen.  xxvii.  He  continued  abroad 
several  years ;  and  when  he  returned  to  his  native  coun- 
try, he  sent  a  supplicatory  message  to  his  brother  Esau, 
Gen.  xxxii.  5.  *  that  he  might  find  grace  in  his  sight.* 
When  he  heard  of  Esau's  coming  to  meet  him  with  four 
hundred  men,  he  ^  was  greatly  afraid  and  distressed,'  ver. 
7.  and  cried  unto  the  Lord,  ver.  11.  '  Deliver  me,  I  pray 
thee,  from  the  hand  of  my  brother,  from  the  hand  of 
Esau.*  He  sent  a  map^nificent  present  before  him  to  ap- 
pease his  brother,  calling  Esau  his  iord,  and  himself 
Esau's  servant^  ver.  18.  When  he  met  him,  he  'bowed 
himself  to  the  ground  seven  times,  until  he  came  near  to 
his  brother.'  Gen.  xxx.  3.  And  after  he  had  found  a  gra- 
cious reception,  he  acknowledged,  ver.  10.  'I  have  seen 
thy  face,  as  though  I  had  seen  the  face  of  God,  and  thou 
•wast  pleased  with  me.'  Jacob  then  had  no  temporal  su- 
periority over  Esau  ;  and  therefore  we  must  look  for  the 
completion  of  the  prophecy  among  their  posterity.  The 
prophecy  itself  refers  us  thither,  and  mentions  plainly 
two  nations  and  tivo  manner  of  fieofUe^  and  comprehends 
these  several  particulars;  that  the  families  of  Esau  and 
Jacob  should  grow  up  into  two  different  people  and  na- 
tions;  that  the  family  of  the  elder  should  be  subject  to 
that  of  the  younger;  that  in  situation  and  other  temporal 
advantages  they  should  be  much  alike;  that  the  elder 
branch  should  delight  more  in  war  and  violence,  but  yet 
should  be  subdued  by  the  younger ;  that,  however,  there 
should  be  a  time  when  the  elder  should  have  dominion, 
and  shake  off  the  yoke  of  the  younger;  but  in  all  spiritiTal 
gifts  and  graces  the  younger  should  be  greatly  superior, 
and  be  the  happy  instrument  of  conveying  the  blessing  to 
all  nations.* 

*  [Paul  introduces  this  case  as  an  instance  of  the  sovereignty 
of  God,  in  the  dispensation  of  his  grace.    The  rejection  of  a 

VOL.    I.  F 


62  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

I.  Tlie  families  of  Esau  and  Jacob  should  grow  up  in- 
to two  different  people  and  nations.  *  Two  nations  are  in 
thy  womb,  and  two  manner  of  people  shall  be  separated 
from  thy  bowels.*  The  Edomites  were  the  offspring  of 
Esau,  as  the  Israelites  were  of  Jacob;  and  who  but  the  au- 
thor and  giver  of  life  could  foresee,  that  two  children  in 
the  womb  would  multiply  into  two  nations  ?  Jacob  had 
twelve  sons,  a,nd  their  descendants  all  united  and  incor- 
porated into  one  nation  ;  and  what  an  over-ruling  provi- 
dence then  was  it,  that  two  nations  should  arise  from  the 
two  sons  only  of  Isaac  ?  But  they  were  not  only  to  grow 
up  into  two  nations :  but  into  two  very  different  nations, 
and  tivo  manner  of  people  were  to  be  separated  from  her 
bowels.  And  have  not  the  Edomites  and  Israelites  been 
all  along  two  very  different  people  in  their  manners  and 
customs  and  religions,  which  made  them  to  be  perpetu- 
ally at  variance  one  with  another?  The  children  strug- 
gled together  in  the  womb,  which  was  an  omen  and  token 
of  their  future  disagreement:  and  when  they  were  grown 
up  to  manhood,  they  manifested  very  different  inclina- 
tions. Esau  was  a  cunning  hunter,  and  delighted  in  the 
sports  of  the  field;  Jacob  was  more  mild  and  gentle, 
dwelling  in  tents,  and  minding  his  sheep  and  his  cattle, 
Gen.  XXV.  27,  Our  English  translation,  agreeably  to  the 
Septuagint,  *  and  the  vulgate,  hath  it,  that  Jacob  was  a 
plain  man  ;  but  he  appears  from  his  whole  conduct  to  have 
been  rather  an  artful  than  a  plain  man.     The  word  *  in 

great  part  of  the  Jewish  nation  was  to  some  a  stunjbllng  block. 
5t  seemed  to  them  as  if  the  word  of  promise,  to  the  fathers  had 
taken  no  effect.  The  apostle  in  answer,  maintains  that  it  was 
not  the  original  design  of  God,  in  the  promise  to  save  all  Abra- 
ham's posterity,  but  on  the  contrary,  that  from  the  beginning,  he 
drew  a  line  of  distinction  between  Isaac  and  Ishmael,  Jacob  and 
Esau,  though  each  were  alike  descended  from  him,  according 
to  the  flesh.  To  a  farther,  supposed  objection,  that  such  a  dis- 
tinction between  children,  while  they  were  yet  unborn,  reflected 
on  the  righteousness  of  God,  he  contents  himself  with  denying 
the  consequence,  and  asserting  the  absolute  right  of  Cod,  to 
iiave  mercy  on  whom  he  will  have  mercy.]     Rom.  ix.  6,  16. 

*  "  Aplastos,"  in  the  Septuag-int  version,  and  "simplex,"  in 
the  Vulgate,  both  of  which  signify,  plain,  simple,  or  without 
deceit. 

t  "Tam,"  a  Hebrew  word,  which  signifies  entire  or  perfect. 


THE   PROPHECIES.  63 

the  original  signifies  perfect,  which  is  a  general  term; 
but  being  put  in  opposition  to  the  rough  and  rustic  man- 
ners of  Esau,  it  must  particularly  import  that  Jacob  was 
more  humane  and  gentle,  as  Philo  *  the  Jewamderstands 
it,  and  Le  Clerc  translates  it.  Esau  slighted  his  birth- 
right f  and  those  sacred  privileges  of  which  Jacob  was 

In  the  Syriac  and  Samaritan,  this  word  is  rendered  entire,  by 
Onkelos  it  is  translated  perfect,  and  in  the  Arabic,  perfect  m 
virtues. 

♦  See  Le  Clerc  on  the  passage.  "  Jacob  truly  was  mild,  mee;k, 
or  gentle." 

t  [Whether  Jacob  was  right  as  to  the  means  he  used  or  not,  his 
motives  were  good,  and  those  of  Esau  were  evil.  Observe  parti- 
cularly. 

1.  The  birth-right  attached  to  seniority. 

2.  It  ordinarily  consisted  in  the  excellency  of  dignity,  the 
excellency  of  power,  and  a  double  portion. 

3.  These  privileges  of  the  first-boi-n,  were  in  several  instances, 
forfeited  by  the  mis-conduct  of  the  parties,  as  in  the  case  of 
Cain,  Reuben,  &c. 

4.  There  was  in  the  family  of  Abraham  a  peculiar  blessmg, 
which  was  supposed  to  be  attached  to  the  birth-right,  though 
God  in  several  instances  put  it  in  another  direction.  This  bles- 
sing was  principally  spiritual  and  distant,  having  respect  to  the 
setting  up  of  God's  kingdom,  to  the  birth  of  the  Messiah  ;  or  \\\ 
other  words  to  all  those  great  things,  included  in  the  covenant 
of  Abraham.  This  was  well  understood  by  the  family,  both 
Esau  and  Jacob  must  have  often  heard  their  parents  converse 
about  it.  If  the  birth-right  which  was  bought  at  that  time,  had 
consisted  in  any  temporal  advantages  of  dignity,  authority  or  pro- 
perty to  be  enjoyed  in  the  life  time  of  the  parties,  Esau  would, 
not  have  made  so  light  of  it  as  he  did,  calling  it  this  birth-right 
and  intimating  that  he  should  soon  die,  and  then  it  would  be  of 
no  use  to  him.  It  is  a  fact  too  that  Jacob  had  none  of  the  ordi- 
nary advantages  of  the  birth-right  during  his  life  time.  Instead 
of  a  double  portion  he  was  sent  out  of  the  family  with  only  a 
Huff  in  his  hand,  leaving  Esau  to  possess  the  whole  of  his  fa- 
ther's substance,  and,  when  more  than  twenty  years  afterwards  he 
returned  to  Canaan,  he  made  no  scruple  to  ascribe  to  his  bro- 
ther, the  excellency  of  dignity,  and  the  excellency  of  power,  call- 
ing him  my  lord  Esau,  and  acknowledging  himself  as  his  servant. 
The  truth  is,  the  question  between  them  was,  which  should  be 
heir  to  the  blessing-s  promised  in  the  covenant  with  Abraiiam, 
This  Jacob  desired,  and  Esau  despised,  and  in  despising  bles- 
sings of  so  sacred  a  nature,  and  that  for  a  morsel  of  meat,  he 
was  guilty  of  profaneness.     The  spirit  of  his  language  was 


64  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

desirous,  and  is  therefore  called  Heb.  xii.  16.  the /wo/une 
Esau  :  but  Jacob  was  a  man  of  better  faith  and  religion. 
The  like  diversity  ran  through  their  posterity.  The  re- 
Tigion  of  the  Jews  is  very  well  known  ;  but  whatever  the 
Edomites  were  at  first,  in  process  of  time  they  becaine 
idolaters.  Josephus*  mentions  an  Idumean  deity  named 
Koze :  and  Amaziah  king  of  Judah,  after  he  had  over- 
thrown the  Edoniites,  2  Chron.  xxiv.  14.  *  brought  their 
gods,  and  set  them  up  to  be  his  gods,  and  bowed  down 
himself  before  them,  and  burned  incense  unto  them  ;* 
which  was  monstrously  absurd,  as  the  prophet  remon- 
strates, ver.  15.  *  Why  hast  thou  sought  after  the  gods 
of  the  people,  which  could  not  deliver  their  own  people 
out  of  thine  hand?*  Upon  these  religious  differences  and 
other  accounts  there  was  a  continual  grudge  and  enmity 
between  the  tv/o  nations.  The  king  of  Edom  would  not 
sufier  the  Israelites  in  their  return  out  of  Egypt,  so  much 
as  to  pass  through  his  territories :  Numb.  xx.  and  the 
history  of  the  Edcmites  afterwards  is  little  more  than  the 
history  of  their  wars  with  the  Jews. 

II.  The  family  of  the  elder  should  be  subject  to  that 
of  the  younger.  *  And  the  one  people  shall  be  stronger 
than  the  other  people,  and  the  elder  shall  serve  thQ 
younger,'  or  as  the  words  may  be  rendered,  the  greater 
shall  serve  the  lesser.  Thefamily  of  Esau  was  theelder,and 
for  some  time  tlie  greater  and  more  powerful  of  the  two, 
there  having  been  dukes  and  kings  in  Edom,  ^  before  there 
reigned  any  king  over  the  children  of  Israel,  Gen.  xxxvi. 
3 1 .  But  David  and  his  captains  made  an  entire  conquest 
of  the  Edomites,  slew  several  thousands  of  them,  1  Kings 
xi.  16.  and  1  Chron.  xviii.  12.  and  compelled  the  rest  to 
become  his  tributaries  and  servants,  and  planted  garrisons 
among  them  to  secure  their  obedience.  2  Sam.  viii.  11. 
*  And  he  put  garrisons  in  Edom ;  throughout  all  Edom 

"  /  cannot  live  upon  protuhes,  give  me  sompthing  to  eat  and  drink, 
for  to  morroio  1  die.**  Such  is  the  spirit  of  unbelief  in  every  age  : 
and  tluis  it  is  that  poor  deluded  souls  continue  to  despise  things, 
distant  and  lieavenly,  and  prefer  to  them  the  momentary  grati- 
fications of  flesh  and  sen.se.]  Fuller, 

*  Koze,  was  a  divinity  worshipped  by  the  Edomites.  See 
Antiquities,  Book  XV.  Chap.  vii.  Sect.  9.' page  686,  in  Hudson's 
••.dition. 


THE  PROPHECIES  60 

put  he  garrisons,  and  all  they  of  Edom  became  David's 
servants/  In  this  state  of  servitude  they  continued  about 
an  hundred  and  fifty  years,  •  without  a  king  of  their  own, 
being  governed  by  viceroys  or  deputies  appointed  by  the 
kings  of  Judah.  In  the  reign  of  Jehoshaphat  king  of  Ju- 
dah  it  is  said,  that  '  tliere  was  then  no  king  in  Edom  :  a 
deputy  was  king,'  1  Kings  xxii.  47.  But  in  the  days  of 
Jehoram  his  son,  they  revolted,  and  recovered  their  li- 
berties, '  and  made  a  king  over  themselves,'  2  Kings  viii. 
20.  But  afterwards  Amaziah  king  of  Judah  <  slew  of 
Edom  in  the  valley  of  salt  ten  thousand,  and  took  Selah 
by  war,  and  called  the  name  of  it  Joktheel  unto  this  day/ 
says  the  sacred  historian,  2  Kings  xiv.  7.  '  And  other 
ten  thousand  left  alive,  did  the  children  of  Judah  carry 
away  captive,  and  brought  them  unto  the  top  of  the  rock,* 
whereon  Selah  was  built,  'and  cast  them  down  from  the 
top  of  the  rock,  that  they  were  broken  all  in  pieces,'  2 
Chron.  xxv.  12.  His  son  Azariah  or  Uzziah  likewise  took 
from  them  Elah,  that  commodious  haven  on  the  Red  Sea, 
and  fortified  it  anew, '  and  restored  it  to  Judah,'  2  Kings 
xiv.  22.  2  Chron.  xxvi.  2.  Judas  Maccabaeus  attacked  and 
defeated  them  several  times,  killed  no  fewer  than  twenty 
thousand  at  one  time,  and  more  than  twenty  thousand  at 
another,  and  took  their  chief  city  of  Hebron,  and  the 
towns  thereof^  and  pulled  down  the  fortress  ofit^  and  burtU 
the  towers  thereof  round  about,  1  Mace.  v.  2  Mace.  x. 
At  last  his  nephew,  Hyrcanusf  the  son  of  Simon,  took 
others  of  their  cities,  and  reduced  them  to  the  necessity 
of  embracing  the  Jewish  religion,  or  of  leaving  their  coun- 
try and  seeking  new  habitations  elsewhere,  whereupon 
they  submitted  to  be  circumcised,  and  became  proselytes 
to  the  Jewish  religion,  and  ever  after  were  incorporated 
into  the  Jewish  church  and  nation. 

III.  In  situation  and  other  temporal  advantages  Xhey 
should  be  much  alike.  For  it  was  said  to  Jacob, '  God 
give  thee  of  the  dew  of  heaven,  and  of  the  fatness  of  the 

*  From  about  the  year  of  the  world  2960  before  Christ  1044, 
to  about  the  year  of  the  world  3115  before  Christ  889.  See 
Usher's  Annals. 

j-  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  IX.  Sect.  I.  page  584;,  in 
Hudson's  edition. 

2  F 


66  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

earth,  and  plenty  of  corn  and  wine :'  and  much  the  same 
is  said  to  Esau, '  Behold  thy  dwelling  shall  be  of  the  fat- 
ness of  the  earth,  and  of  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above.* 
Jn  this  manner  the  latter  clause  is  translated  in  Jerome's  * 
and  the  old  versions :  but  some  modern  commentators, 
(  t  Castalio,  le  Clerc,  &c.)  render  it  otherwise,  that  his 
dwelling  should  be  far  from  the  fatness  of  the  earthy  and 
from  the  dew  of  heaven:  and  they  say  that  Idumea,  the 
country  of  the  Edomites,  was  a  dry,  barren,  and  desert 
country.  But  it  is  not  probable,  that  any  good  author 
should  use  the  very  same  |  words  with  the  very  same 
praepositions  in  one  sense,  and  within  a  few  lines  after 
in  a  quite  contrary  sense.  Besides  Esau  solicited  for  a 
blessing  ;  and  the  author  of  the  epistle  to  the  Hebrews 
saith,  xi.  20.  that/.saac  blessed  Jacob  and  Beau  ;  whereas 
had  he  consigned  Esau  to  such  a  barren  and  wretched 
country,  it  would  have  been  a  curse  rather  than  a  bles- 
sing. The  spiritual  blessing  indeed,  or  the  promise  of 
the  blessed  seed  could  be  given  only  to  one  ;  but  tempo- 
ral good  things  might  be  communicated  and  imparted  to 
both.  Mount  Seir  and  the  adjacent  country  was  at  first 
the  possession  of  the  Edomites;  they  afterwards  extend- 
ed themselves  farther  into  Arabia;  as  they  did  afterwards 
into  the  southern  parts  of  Judea.  But  wherever  they 
were  situated,  we  find  in  fact,  that  the  Edomites  in  tempo- 
ral advantages  were  little  inferior  to  the  Israelites.  Esau 
had  cattle^  and  beasts^  and  substance  in  abundance,  and  he 
went  to  dwell  in  Seir  of  his  own  accord,  and  he  would 
hardly  have  removed  thither  with  so  many  cattle,  had  it 
been  such  a  barren  and  desolate  country,  as  some  would 


*  In  the  fatness  of  the  earth,  and  In  the  dew  of  heaven  from 
above. 

f  He  shall  be  at  a  distance  from  the  fatness  of  the  earth.  See 
Castalio.  His  habitation  shall  be  remote  indeed  from  the  fat- 
ness of  the  earth,  nor  shall  it  be  fertilized  by  the  dew  of  heaven. 
And  truly,  the  land  of  Edom  was  not  rich,  fertile,  or  well  wa- 
tered.    See  Le  Clerc  on  the  passage. 

i  Ver.  28.     Mittal     hashamaim        umislimanne        haaretz. 
of  the  dew    of  heaven    and  the  fatnesses  of  the  earth. 
Ver.  39.     Mishmanne     haaretz.    umittal     hashamain    mignal 

of  the  fatnesses  of  the  earth   and  of  the  dew    of  heaven  from 
above- 


THE  PROPHECIES.  67 

represent  it,  Gen.  xxxiv.  6,  7,  8,  The  Edomites  had 
dukes  and  kings  reigning  over  them,  while  the  Israelites 
were  slaves  in  Egypt.  In  their  return  out  of  Egypt  when 
the  Israelites  desired  leave  to  pass  through  the  territories 
of  Edom,  it  appears  that  the  country  abounded  with  fruit- 
ful fields  and  vineyards  ;  '  Let  us  pass,  I  pray  thee, through 
thy  country  ;  we  will  not  pass  through  the  fields,  or 
through  the  vineyards,  neither  will  we  drink  of  the  water  of 
the  wells,'  Numb.  xx.  17.  And  the  prophecy  of  Malachi, 
i.  2.  which  is  commonly  alleged  as  a  proof  of  the  barren- 
ness of  the  country,  is  rather  an  argument  to  the  contrary : 

*  And  I  hated  Esau,  and  laid  his  mountains  and  his  herit- 
ap;e  waste,  for  the  dragons  of  the  wilderness:'  for  this  im- 
plies that  the  country  was  fruitful  belore,  and  that  its  pre- 
sent unfruitfulness  was  rather  an  effect  of  war,  and  devasta- 
tion, than  any  natural  defect' and  failure  in  the  soil.  If  the 
country  is  barren  and  unfruitful  now,  so  neither  is  Judea 
what  it  was  formerly.  The  face  of  any  country  is  much 
changed  in  a  long  course  of  years :  and  it  is  totally  a  dif- 
ferent thing,  v/hen  a  country  is  regularly  cultivated  by  m- 
babitants  living  under  a  settled  government,  than  when  ty- 
ranny prevails,  and  the  land  is  left  desolate.  It  is  also  fre- 
quently seen  that  God,  as  the  Psalmist  saith,  cvii.  34. 

*  turneth  a  fruitful  land  into  barrenness  for  the  wicked- 
ness of  them  that  dwell  therein.' 

IV.  The  elder  branch  should  delight  more  in  war  and 
violence,  but  yet  should   be  subdued  by  the   younger. 

*  And  by  thy  sword  shalt  thou  live,  and  shalt  serve  thy 
brother.'  Esau  himself  might  be  said  to  live  much  by 
the  sword,  for  he  '  was  a  cunning  hunter,  a  man  of  the 
field,'  Gen.  xxv.  27.  He  and  his  children  got  possession 
of  mount  Seir  by  force  and  violence,  by  destroying  and 
expelling  from  thence  the  Horites,  the  former  inhabitants, 
Deut.  ii.  22.  We  have  no  account,  and  therefore  cannot 
pretend  to  say,  by  what  means  they  spread  themselves 
farther  among  the  Arabians  ;  but  it  appears,  *  that  upon 
a  sedition  and  separation  many  ofthe  Edomites  came,  and 
seized  upon  the  south-west  parts  of  Judea  during  the  Ba- 
bylonish captivity,  and  settled  there  ever  afterwards.  Both 

*  See  Strabo  Book  XVI,  page  1103,  in  the  Amsterdam  edition 
of  1707.  And  Pridcuux.*  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  I.  in  the  year 

740. 


6s  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

before  and  after  this,  they  were  almost  continually  at  war 
with  the  Jews  ;  upon  every  occasion  they  were  ready  to 
join  with  their  enemies;  and  when  Nebuchadnezzar  be- 
sieged Jerusalem,  they  encouraged  him  utterly  to  destroy 
the  city,  saying.  Rase  it,  rase  it,  even  to  the  foundation 
thereof,'  Ps.  cxxxvii.  7.  Even  long  after  they  were  sub- 
dued by  the  Jews,  they  still  retained  the  same  martial 
spirit,  for  Josephus  *  in  his  time  giveth  them  the  charac- 
ter of  ^'  a  turbulent  and  disorderly  nation,  always  erect  to 
commotions  and  rejoicing  in  changes,  at  the  least  adula- 
tion of  those  who  beseech  them  beginning  war,  and  hast- 
ening to  battles  as  it  were  to  a  feast."  Agreeably  to  this 
character,  a  little  l)efore  the  last  seige  of  Jerusalem,  they 
came  at  the  entreaty  of  the  zealots  to  assist  them  against 
the  priests  and  people,  and  there  together  with  the  zeal- 
ots committed  unheard-of  cruelties,  and  barbarously  mur- 
dered Ananusthe  high-priest,  from  whose  death  Josephus 
dateth  the  destruction  of  the  city. 

V.  However  there  was  to  be  a  time  when  the  elder 
should  have  dominion,  and  shake  off  the  yoke  of  the 
younger.  *  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  when  thou  shall 
have  dominion,  that  thou  shalt  break  his  yoke  from  off 
thy  neck.'  The  word  which  we  translate  have  dornvrion 
is  capable  of  various  interpretations.  Some  render  it  in 
the  sense  of  laying  down  or  shaking  off^  as  the  Septua- 
gintj  and  the  Vulgar  Latin,  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  that 
thou  shalt  shake  off^  and  shalt  loose  his  yoke  from  off  thy 
neck.  Some  again  render  it  in  the  sense  of  mourniyig  or 
repenting^  as  the  Syriac,:^  But^  if  thou  shaW  refient^  his 

*  They  were  a  turbulent  and  disorderly  nation,  always  inclin- 
ed to  commotions,  and  delighting  in  changes,  easily  flattered  to 
take  up  arms  and  hastening  to  battles  as  if  they  were  going  to  a 
feast.  See  the  Jewish  wars,  Book  IV.  Chap.  iv..Sect.  1.  page 
1177,  in  Hudson's  edition.     Consult  also  the  following  chapter. 

f  *  Estaide  henika  ean  katheles,  kai  ekluses  ton  Zugon  antou 
apo  tou  trachelou  sou.'  Septuagint.  That  is.  It  (the  times) 
shall  be,  when  thou  mayest  shake  off  and  loose  his  yoke  from  thy 
neck.  Tenipnsque  veniet  cum  excutias  et  solvas  jugum  ejus 
de  cervicibus  tuis.  Vulgate  Version.  That  is,  the  time  will 
come  when  thou  mayest  shake  off  and  loose  his  yoke  from  thy 
necks. 

i  But  if  thou  shall  exercise  repentance,  his  yoke  shall  pass 
ofl'  from  thy  neck. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  69 

yoke  shall  fiassfr 07)1  off  thy  neck.  But  the  most  common 
rendering  and  most  approved  is,  whcji  thou  shall  have  domi- 
nion ;  and  it  is  not  said  or  meant,  that  they  should  have 
dominion  over  the  seed  of  Jacob,  but  simply  have  domi- 
nion, as  they  had  when  they  appointed  a  king  of  their 
own.  The  Jerusalem  Targum  *  thus  paraphraseth  the 
whol-e, "  And  it  shall  be  when  the  sons  of  Jacob  attend  to 
the  law,  and  observe  the  precepts,  they  shall  impose  the 
yoke  of  servitude  upon  thy  neck ;  but  when  they  shall 
turn  themselves  away  from  studying  the  law,  and  neglect 
the  precepts,  behold  then  thou,  shake  off  the  yoke  of  ser- 
vitude from  thy  neck."  David  imposed  the  yoke,  and  at 
that  time  the  Jewish  people  observed  the  law.  But  the 
yoke  was  very  galling  to  the  Edomites  from  the  first : 
and  toward  the  latter  end  of  Solomon's  reign,  Hadad  the 
Edomite  of  the  blood  royal,  who  had  been  carried  into 
Egypt  in  his  childhood,  returned  into  his  own  country, 
and  raised  some  disturbances,  1  Kings  xi.  but  was  not 
able  to  recover  his  throne, t  his  subjects  being  overawed 
by  the  garrisons  which  David  had  placed  among  them. 
But  in  the  reign  of  Jehoram  the  son  of  Jehoshaphat  king 
of  Judah, '  the  Edomites  revolted  from  under  the  domi- 
nion of  Judah,  and  made  themselves  a  king.'  Jehoram 
made  some  attempts  to  subdue  them  again,  but  could  not 
prevail.  '  So  the  Edomites  revolted  from  under  the  hand 
of  Judah  unto  this  day,'  saith  the  Author  of  the  books  of 
Chronicles:  2  Chron.  xxi.  8,  10.  and  hereby  this  part  of 
the  prophecy  was  fulfilled  about  nine  hundred  years  after 
it  was  delivered. 

VI.  But  in  all  spiritual  gifts  and  graces  the  younger 
should  be  greatly  superior,  and  be  the  happy  instrument 
of  conveying  the  blessihg  to  all  nations.  '  In  thee  and  in 
thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed:'  and 

*  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  when  the  children  of  .Tacob  shall 
labour  in  the  law  and  keep  the  commandments,  they  shall  put  a 
yoke  of  bondage  upon  thy  neck ;  But  when  the  children  of  Jacob 
shall  tuni  away  themselves  from  studying  the  law,  and  from 
keeping  the  commandments,  behold  then  thou  shalt  l)reak  off' 
their  yoke  of  bondage  from  thy  neck.  See  the  Jerusalem  Tar- 
gum. 

t  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  VIII.  Chap.  VII.  Sect.  6. 
page  361,  in  Hudson's  edition, 


70  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

hitherto  are  to  be  referred  in  their  full  force  those  ex- 
pressions, '  Let  people  serve  thee,  and  nations  bow  down 
to  thee  ;•  Cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth  thee,  and  bles- 
sed be  he  that  blesseth  thee.'  The  same  proi«nse  was 
made  to  Abraham  in  the  name  of  God, '  I  will  bless  them 
that  bless  thee,  and  curse  him  that  curseth  thee  ;*  Gen. 
xii.  3.  and  it  is  here  repeated  to  Jacob,  and  is  thus  para- 
phrased in  the  Jerusalem  Targum,*  "He  who  curseth 
thee,  shall  be  cursed,  as  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor;  and  he 
who  blesseth  thee,  shall  be  blessed,  as  Moses  the  prophet, 
the  law-giver  of  Israel.'*  It  appears  that  Jacob  was  a  man 
of  more  religion,  and  believed  the  divine  promises  more 
than  Esau.  The  posterity  of  Jacob  likewise  preserved 
the  true  religion  and  the  worship  of  one  God,  while  the 
Edomites  were  sunk  in  idolatry.  And  of  the  seed  of  Ja- 
cob was  born  at  last  the  Saviour  of  the  world.  This  was 
the  peculiar  privilege  and  advantage  of  Jacob,  to  be  the 
happy  instrument  of  conveying  the  spiritual  blessings  to 
all  nations.  This  was  his  greatest  superiority  over  Esau ; 
and  in  this  sense  St.  Paul  understands  and  applies  the 
prophecy,  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger.  Rom.  ix.  12. 
The  Christ,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  was  to  be  born  of 
some  one  family :  and  Jacob's  was  preferred  to  Esau's 
out  of  the  good  pleasure  of  almighty  God,  who  is  cer- 
tainly the  best  judge  of  fitness  and  expedience,  and  hath 
an  undoubted  right  to  dispense  his  favours  as  he  shall  see 
proper;  <  for  he  saith  to  Moses,'  {as  the  apostle  proceeds 
to  argue,  ver.  15)^1  will  have  mercy  on  whom  I  will 
have  mercy,  and  I  will  have  compassion  on  whom  I  will 
have  compassion.'  And  when  the  Gentiles  were  con- 
verted to  Christianity,  the  prophecy  was  fulfilled  literally, 
*  Let  people  serve  thee,  and  nations  bow  down  to  thee  ;' 
and  will  more  amply  be  fulfilled,  when  '  the  fulness  of  the 
Gentiles  shall  come  in,  and  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.' 

We  have  traced  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecy 
from  the  beginning ;  and  we  find  that  the  nation  of  the 
Edomites  hath,  at  several  times,  been  conquered  by,  and 

*  J.icob,  my  son,  whosoever  shall  curse  thee,  sball  be  cursed, 
like  T^alaam  the  son  of  Beor;  but  whosoever  blesseth  thee,  shall 
be  blessed,  like  Moses  the  prophet,  the  braelitish  law-^iver.  Sec 
Jerusalem  Tartjum, 


THK  rUOPHEClES.  71 

made  tributary  to  the  Jews,  but  never  the  nation  of  the  Jews 
to  the  Edomites,  and  the  Jews  have  been  the  more  conside- 
rable people,  more  knowR  in  the  world,  and  more  famous 
in  history.  '  We  know  indeed  little  more  of  the  history 
of  the  Edomites,  than  as  it  is  connected  with  that  of  the 
Jews :  and  where  is  the  name  or  the  nation  nov/  ?  They 
were  swallowed  up  and  lost,  partly  among  the  Nabathaean 
Arabs,  and  partly  among  the  Jews ;  and  the  very  name 
was  abolished  *  and  disused  about  the  end  of  the  first  cen- 
tury after  Christ.  Thus  were  they  rewarded  for  insult- 
ing and  oppressing  their  brethren  the  Jews,  and  hereby 
other  prophecies  were  fulfilled  of  Jeremiah,  xlix.  7.  &c, 
of  Ezekiel,  XXV.  12,  Sec.  of  Joel,  iii.  19.  Amos,  i.  11.  Sec. 
and  Obadiah.  And  at  this  day  we  see  the  Jews  subsisting 
as  a  distinct  people,  while  Edom  is  no  more.  For  agree- 
ably to  the  words  of  Obadiah,  ver.  10.  *  For  thy  violence 
against  thy  brother  Jacob,  shame  shall  cover  thee,  and 
thou  shalt  be  cut  off  for  ever  :*  and  again,  ver.  1 8.  *  there 
shall  not  be  any  remaining  of  the  house  of  Esau,  for  the 
vLord  hath  spoken  it.* 


IV. 


JACOB'S  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  HIS  SONS, 
PARTICULARLY  JUDAH. 

IT  is  an  opinion  of  great  antiquity,  that  the  nearer  men 
approach  to  their  dissolution,  their  souls  grow  more  di- 
vine, and  discern  more  of  futurity.  We  find  this  opinion 
as  early  as  Homer,  |  for  he  represents  the  dying  Patro- 
clus  foretelling  the  fate  of  Hector,  and  the  dying  Hector 
denouncing  no  less  certainly  the  death  of  Achilles.  So- 
crates in  his  Apology  to  the  Athenians,  a  little  before  his 
death  \  asserts  the  same  opinion.    "  But  now,"  saith  he, 

*  See  Prideaux*  Connect.  Part  L  Rook  V.  Anno  1^9. 

t  See  Homer's  Iliad,  Book  XVI.  Line  852,  and  Book  XXH. 
Line  358. 

t  Truly  I  feel  a  strong  desire  to  prophecy,  to  you  who  have 
condemned  me,  as  to  those  things  which  shall  happen  hereafter. 


72  DISSERTATIONS  OJjT 

"  I  am  desirous  to  prophecy  to  you  who  have  condemned 
me.  what  will  happen  hereafter.  For  now  I  am  arrived 
at  that  state,  in  which  men  prophecy  most,  when  they  are 
about  to  die."  His  scholar  Xenophon*  introduces  the 
dying  Cyrus  declaring  in  like  manner,  "  that  the  soul  of 
man  at  the  hour  of  death  appears  most  divine,  and  then 
foresees  something  of  future  events.'*  Diodorus  Siculusf 
allegeth  great  authorities  upon  this  subject :  "  Pythago- 
ras the  Samian,  and  some  others  of  the  ancient  natural- 
ists have  demonstrated,  that  the  souls  of  men  are  immor- 
tal, and  in  consequence  of  this  opinion  that  they  also  fore- 
know future  events,  at  the  time  that  they  are  making 
their  separation  from  the  body  in  death."  Sextus  Empi- 
ricus  \  confirms  it  likewise  by  the  authority  of  Aristotle  ; 
*<  the  soul,"  saith  Aristotle,  *'  foresees  and  foretels  future 
events,  when  it  is  going  to  be  separated  from  the  body  by- 
death."  We  might  produce  more  testimonies  to  this  pur- 
pose from  Cicero,  and  Eustathius  upon  Homer,  and  from 
other  authors,  if  there  was  occasion  ;  but  these  are  suffi- 
cient to  show  the  great  antiquity  §  of  this  opinion.     And 

for  now  that  I  am  about'to  die,  I  am  arrived  at  that  period  of 
time  when  the  prophetic  faculty  is  most  energetic.  See  Plato's 
Apology  for  Socrates,  Vol.  II.  of  his  works  page  39,  in  the  edi- 
tion of  Serranus. 

•  The  soul  of  man  (at  the  point  of  death)  seems  most  divine, 
and  then  foresees  something  of  futurity.  See  Xenophon's  Cyi-o- 
pedia.  Book  VII.  near  the  bottom  of  page  140,  in  the  edition  of 
Henry  Stephens,  printed  1581. 

f  Pythagoras  the  Samian,  and  some  others  of  the  ancient  na- 
turalists have  demonstrated  the  immortality  of  tlie  soul,  as  a 
consequence  from  this  sentiment,  that  it  has  a  foreknowledge  of 
future  events  at  the  time  of  its  separation  from  the  body.  See 
the  beginning  of  Book  XVIII.  page  586,  in  Rhodomanus'  edition. 

i  Aristotle  saith,  the  soul  divines  and  foretels  future  events, 
when  it  is  about  to  be  separated  from  the  body  by  death.  Against 
Mashem,  page  312. 

§  Shakspeare  alludes  to  this  notion  in  Henry  IV.  First  Part, 

O,  I  could  prophecy, 

But  that  the  earthly  and  cold  hand  of  death 
Lies  on  my  tongue. 

The  same  notion  is  also  happily  expressed  in  a  most  excellent 
Latin  poem  on.  The  Immorlaiity  of  the  Soul,  which  is  deserving 
of  a  place  among-  classic  authors.  In  richness  of  poetry  it  equals 
Lucretius,  and  in  clearness  and  strength  of  argument,  it  exceeds 
him.    The  following  is  a  prose  translation  of  four  of  its  lines. 


THE  PROPHFXIES.  73 

it  is  possible,  that  old  experierice*  may  in  some  cases  at- 
tain to  something  like  prophecy  and  divination.     In  some 
instances  also  God  may  have  been  pleased  to  comfort  and 
enlighten  departing  souls   with  a   prescience  of  future 
events.     But  what  I  conceive  might  principally  give  rise 
to  this  opinion,  was  the  tradition  of  some  of  the  patriarchs 
being  divinely  inspired  in  their  last  moments  to  foretel 
the  state  and  condition  of  the  people  descended  from 
them ;  as  Jacob  upon  his  death-bed  summoned  his  sons 
together  that  he  might  inform  them  of  what  should  befal 
them  in  the  latter  daijs^  or  the  last  days  ;  by  which  phrase 
some  commentators  understand  the  times  of  the  Messiah, 
or  the  last  great  period  of  the  world  ;  and  Mr.  Whiston 
particularly  asserts,  f  that  it  is  generally,  if  not  always,  a 
characteristic  and  criterion  of  prophecies  not  to  be  fulfilled 
till  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  ;  and  accordingly  he  sup- 
poses that  these  prophecies  of  Jacob  more  properly  be- 
long to  the  second  coming  of  the  Messiah,  at  the  resto- 
ration of  the  twelve  tribes  hereafter.     But  the  phrase  of 
the  latter  days  or  last  days  in  the  Old  Testament  signifies 
any  time  that  is  yet  to  come,  though  sometimes  it  may 
relate  to  the  times  of  the  Messiah  in  particular,  as  it 
comprehends  all  future  time  in  general :  and  hence  it  is 
used  in  prophecies  that  respect  different  times  and  periods. 
'I  will  advertise  thee,'  saith  Balaam  to  Balak,  Numb, 
xxiv.  14.  'what  this  people  shall  do  to  thy  people  in  the 
latter  days :'  but  what  the  Israelites  did  to  the  Moabites, 
was  done  long  before  the  times  of  the  Messiah.  '  I  know,' 
Buith  Moses,  Dcut.  xxxi.  29.  'that  after  my  death  ye  will 
utterly  corrupt  yourselves,  and  turn  aside  from  the  way 
which  I  have  commanded  you,  and  evil  will  befal  you  in 
the  latter  days :'  where  the  latter  days  are  much  the  same 
as  the  time  after  the  death  of  Moses.     '  There  is  a  God 
in  heaven,'  saith  Daniel,  ii.  28.  'that  revealeth  secrets 

For  when  the  joints  grow  stiff  at  the  approach  of  death,  the 
mind  possesseth  a  keener  perception,  and  a  vivacity  more  divine. 
At  no  time  do  men  discover  an   eloquence   more  i^raceful,  than 
when,  about  to  die,  they  open  their  prophetic  lips. 
'       *  Alluding-  to  these  lines  of  Milton, 
Till  old  experience  do  attain 
To  something  like  prophetic  strain. ' 
t  Boyle's  Lectures,  Vol.  2,  page  311. 

VOL.  I,  G 


74  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

and  maketh  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  what 
shall  be  in  the  latter  days;*  but  several  particulars  are 
there  foretold  of  the  four  great  monarchies  of  the  earth, 
which  were  fulfilled  before  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 
And  in  like  manner  these  prophecies  of  Jacob  were,  ma- 
ny or  most  of  them,  accomplished  under  the  Mosaic 
ceconomy,  several  ages  before  the  birth  of  our  Saviour. 

Jacob  as  we  have  seen,  received  a  double  blessing,  tem- 
poral and  spiritual,  the  promise  of  the  land  of  Canaan, 
and  the  promise  of  the  seed  in  which  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth  should  be  blessed ;  which  promises  were  first 
made  to  Abraham,  and  then  repeated  to  Isaac,  and  then 
confirmed  to  Jacob  ;  and  Jacob  a  little  before  his  death 
bequeaths  the  same  to  his  children.  The  temporal  bles- 
sing or  inheritance  of  the  land  of  Canaan  might  be  shared 
and  divided  among  all  his  sons,  but  ihe  blessed  seed  could 
descend  only  from  one  :  and  Jacob  accordingly  assigns  to 
each  a  portion  in  the  promised  land,  but  limits  the  de- 
scent of  the  blessed  seed  to  the  tribe  of  Judah,  and  at  the 
same  time  sketches  out  the  characters  and  fortunes  of  all 
the  tribes. 

He  adopts  the  two  sons  of  Joseph,  Manasseh  and 
Ephraim,  for  his  own,  but  foretels  that  the  younger  should 
be  the  greater  of  the  two;  Gen.  xlviii.  19.  and  hath  not 
the  prediction  been  fully  justified  by  the  event  ?  The 
tribe  of  Ephraim  grew  to  be  so  numerous  and  powerful, 

that  it  is  sometimes  put  for  all  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel. 

Of  Reuben  it  is  said,  Gen.  xlix.  4.  *  Unstable  as  water, 
thou  shalt  not  excel :'  and  what  is  recorded  great  or  ex- 
cellent of  the  tribe  of  Reuben  ?  *    In  number,  Numb.  i. 

and  power  they  were  inferior  to  several  other  tribes. 

Of  Simeon  and  Levi  it  is  said,  ver.  7.  '  I  will  divide  them 
in  Jacob,  and  scatter  them  in  Israel :,  and  was  not  this 
eminently  fulfilled  in  the  tribe  of  Levi,  who  had  no  por- 
tion or  inheritance  of  their  own,  but  were  dispersed 
among  the  other  tribes  ?  Neither  had  the  tribe  of  Simeon 
any  inheritance  pioperly  of  their  own,  but  only  a  portion 
in  the  midst  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  ;  Josh.  xix.  1 — 9.  from 

*  [The  double  blesslug  was  taken  from  liim  and  given  to  Jo- 
seph—the  kingdom  to  Judali,  and  the  pricstood  to  Levi.] 

Fuller. 


THE  PROPHECIES..  75 

whence  several  of  them  afterwards  went  in  quest  of  new- 
habitations,  1  Chron.  iv.  39,  &c.  and  so  were  divided  from 
the  rest  of  their  brethren.  A  constant  tradition  *  too 
liath  prevailed  amoni:;'  the  Jews  which  is  also  confirmed 
by  the  Jerusalem  Targum,  that  the  tribe  of  Simeon  were 
so  straightened  in  their  situation  and  circumstances,  that 
threat  numbers  were  necessitated  to  seek  a  subsistence 
among  the  other  tribes,  by  teaching  and  instructing  their 
children.! — - — Of  Zebulun  it  is  said,  ver.  13.  'He  shall 
dwell  at  the  haven  of  the  sea,  and  shall  be  for  an  haven  of 
ships  :'  and  accordingly  the  tribe  of  Zebulun  extended 
from  the  sea  of  Galilee  to  the  Mediterranean,  Josh.  xix. 
10,  &c.|  where  they  had  commodious  havens  for  ship- 
ping. And  how  could  Jacob  have  foretold  the  situation 
o^  any  tribe,  which  was  determined  two  hundred  years 
aiterwards  by  casting  of  lots,  unless  he  had  been  directed 

by  that  divine  Spirit,  who  disposeth  of  all  events  ? Of 

Benjamin  it  is  said,  ver.  27.  '  He  shall  ravin  as  a  wolf:'  and 
was  not  that,a  fierce  and  warlike  tribe,  as  appears  in  seve- 
ral instances,  and  particularly  in  the  case  of  the  Levite's 

*  The  Jews  also  have  a  tradition  that  the  writers,  tutors, 
schoolmasters  and  teachers  of  youth  were  almost  all  of  the  tribe 
of  Simeon.  That  they  might  procure  a  subsistence,  they  were 
forced  to  live  separately,  in  the  towns  and  villages  of  their  breth- 
ren. Tliis  opinion  is  embraced  by  the  author  of  the  Jerusalem 
I'argum,  by  Fagius  and  others. 

•f  [The  sentence  in  Levi's  case  was  not  reversed,  but  convert- 
ed into  a  blessing  in  consequence  of  the  service  his  descendants 
performed  in  their  zeal  against  the  worshippers  of  the  golden 
calf.  Exod.  xxxii.  26,  29.  Deut.  xxxiii.  9,  10.  So  that  being 
consecrated  to  God,  as  the  priestly  tribe,  they  were  honourably 
and  profitably  diviilcd  and  scattered  in  that  character  throughout 
Israel.  '  Scott. 

The  Simeonites,  however,  for  Zimri*s  sin,  had  the  curse  bound 
on.  Num.  xxv.  Shameful  divisions  are  the  just  punishment  of 
sinful  confederacies.] 

^  [The  maritime  situation  in  which  this  tribe  was  placed, 
tended  greatly  to  enricli  it,  both  by  fisheries  and  commerce. 
Deut.  xxxiii.  IS,  19.  Zebulun  was  younger  than  Issachar,  yet 
Jacob  mentions  him  first,  and  accordingly  his  inheritance  was  first 
allotted  him.]  '  Scott. 


76  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

•wife,  Judg.  XX.  Avhen  they  alone  waged  war  against  all  the 
other  tribes,  and  overcame  them  in  two  battles  ?  * 

In  this  manner  he  characterizes  these  and  the  other 
tribes,  and  foretels  their  temporal  condition,  and  that  of 
Judaii  as  well  as  the  rest :  '  Binding  his  fole  unto  the  vine, 
and  his  asses  colt  unto  the  choice  vine,  he  washed  his 
garments  in  wine,  and  his  clothes  in  the  blood,  of  grapes. 
Kis  eyes  shall  be  red  with  wine,  and  his  teeth  white  with 
milk;'  ver.  11,  12.  and  not  to  mention  the  valley  of  Esh- 
col  and  other  fruitful  places,  the  mountaiRs  about  Jerusa- 
lem, by  the  accounts  df  the  best  travellers,  were  particu- 
larly fitted  for  the  cultivation  of  the  vine,  and  for  ihe  feed- 
ing of  cattle.  "The  blessing,"  says  Dr.  Shaw,f  "that 
Avas  given  to  Judah,  was  not  of  the  same  kind,  with  the 
blessing  of  Asher  or  of  Issachar  that  his  bread  should  be 
fat^  or  his  land  should  be  fileasant^hut  that  his  eyes  should 
be  red  ivith  wine,  and  his  teeih  should  be  ivhite  with  milk.^^ 
He  farther  observes,  that  "  the  mountains  of  the  country 
abound  with  shrubs  and  a  delicate  short  grass,  both  which 
the  cattle  are  more  fond  of,  than  of  such  plants  as  are 
common  to  fallow  grounds  and  meadows.  Neither  was 
this  method  of  grazing  peculiar  to  this  country  ;  inas- 
much as  it  is  still  practised  all  over  mount  Libanus,  the 
Castravan  mountains  and  Barbary ;  in  all  which  places  the 
higher  grounds  are  set  apart  for  this  use,  and  the  plains 
and  vallies  for  tillage.  For  besides  the  good  manage- 
ment and  oeconomy,  there  is  this  farther  advantage,  that 
ihe  milk  of  cattle  fed  in  this  manner  is  far  more  rich 
and  delicious,  as  their  flesh  is  more  sweet 'and  nour- 
ishing.— It  may  be  presumed  likewise,  that  the  vine 
was  not  neglected,  in  a  soil  and  exposition  so  proper  for 

*  [Dr.  Clarke  observes,  that  the  union  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin 
*'with  the  tribe  of  Judah,  seems  to  be  intimated  in  their  joint 
conquest,  expressed  nearly  in  the  same  terms. — Jiulah  ivent  vp 
from  ihe  preij — Benjamiyi  devoured  the  prey.  Moses  in  his  parallel 
prophecy,  Deut.  xxxiii.  12.  confirms  this  by  signifying,  tliat  the 
Sanchiary  should  be  fixed  in  his  lot,  and  that  he  should  continue 
as  long  as  the  existence  of  the  temple  itself." 

The  beloved  of  the  Lord^  shall  dwell  with  him  in  safety  and 
.shall  cover  him  all  the  day  long,  and  shall  dwell  between  his 
.shoulders  ]  Deut.  xxxiii.  18. 

t  .Shaw's  Travels,  page  2t66f  367. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  7^ 

it  to  thrive  in."  He  mentions  particularly  "  the  many 
tokens  which  are  to  be  met  with,  of  the  ancient  vineyards 
about  Jerusalem  and  Hebron,"  and  "  the  great  quantity  of 
grapes  and  raisins,  which  are  from  thence  brought  daily 
to  the  markets  of  Jerusalem,  and  sent  yearly  to  Egypt." 

But  Jacob  bequeaths  to  Judah  particularly  the  spiritual 
blessing,  and  delivers  it  in  much  the  same  form  of  words 
that  it  was  delivered  to  him.  Isaac  had  said  to  Jacob, 
Gen.  xxvii.  29.  'Let  people  serve  thee,  and  nations  bow 
down  to  thee ;  be  lord  over  thy  brethren,  and  let  thy  mo- 
ther's sons  bow  down  to  thee  :'  and  here  Jacob  saith  to 
Judah,  ver.  8.  '  Thou  art  he  whom  thy  brethren  shall 
praise ;  thy  hand  shall  be  in  the  neck  of  thy  enemies ; 
thy  father's  children  shall  bow  down  before  thee.'  And 
for  greater  certainty  it  is  added,  ver.  10.  '  The  sceptre 
shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  law-giver  from  between 
his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come,  and  unto  him  shall  the  gath- 
ering of  the  people  be.'  I  will  not  trouble  the  reader,  or 
myself  with  a  detail  of  the  various  interpretations  which 
have  been  put  upon  this  passage,  but  will  only  offer  that 
which  appears  to  me  the  plainest,  easiest,  and  best ;  I 
will  first  explain  the  words  and  meaning  of  the  prophecy, 
and  then  show  the  full  and  exact  completion  of  it.  They 
who  are  curious  to  know  the  various  interpretations  of 
the  learned,  may  find  an  account  of  them  in  Huetius*  and 
Le  Clerc  ;  t  but  no  one  hath  treated  the  subject  in  a  more 
masterly  manner  than  the  present  Lord  Bishop  t  of  Lon- 
don ;  and  we  shall  principally  tread  in  his  footsteps,  as 
we  cannot  follow  a  better  guide. 

I.  '  The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah.'  The 
■word  shebet^  which  we  translate  a  sceptre^  signifies  a  rod 
or  staff  of  any  kind;  and  particularly  the  rod  or  staff 
which  §  belonged  to  each  tribe  as  an  ensign  of  their  autho- 

*  See  Eusebius'   Evangelical  preparation,  Prop.  IX.  Chap.  IV. 

f  See  Le  Clerc's  commentary  on  the  passage. 

%  See  the  3d  Dissertation  in  Bishop  Sherlock's  Discourses  of 
the  Use  and  intent  of  Prophecy. 

§  Bishop  Sherlock  hath  cited  to  this  purpose  Menochiiis  on 
the  Hebrew  Republic,  Book  I.  Chap.  IV.  where  he  saith,  the 
name  (of  a  rod)  hath  been  transferred  to  denote  a  tribe,  because 
each  tribe  was  in  possession  of  its  peculiar  rod,  with  its  name 
inscribed  thereon,  which  the  princes  of  the  tribes  used  to  carry 
in  their  hand,  When  the  Lord  addresscth  Auronin  these  words, 
G    2 


78  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

rity  ;  and  thence  it  is  transferred  to  signify  a  tribe^  as  be- 
ing united  under  one  rod  or  staff  of  government,  or  a  ru- 
ler of  a  tribe  ;  and  in  this  sense  it  is  twice  used  in  this 
very  chapter,  ver.  16.  '  Dan  shall  judge  his  people  as  one 
of  the  tribes  or  riders  of  Israel ;'  and  again,  ver.  28.  *  all 
these  are  the  twelve  tribes  or  riders  of  Israel  ;*  It  hath  the 
same  signification  in  2  Sam.  vii.  7 .  'In  all  the  places  where- 
in I  have  walked  with  all  the  children  of  Israel,  spake  I  a 
word  with  any  of  the  tribes  or  riders  of  Israel,  (in  the  paral- 
lel place  of  Chronicles,  1  Chro.  xvii.  6.  it  is  judges  oi  Israel) 
*whom  I  commanded  to  feed  my  people  Israel,  saying. 
Why  build  ye  not  me  an  house  of  cedar  ?'  the  word  doth 
indeed  sometimes  signify  a  sce/z^r^,  but  that  is  apt  to  con- 
vey an  idea  of  kingly  authority,  which  was  not  the  thing 
intended  here  :  and  the  Seventy  *  translate  it  *  archon,'  a 
ruler,  which  answers  better  to  a  laiv-giver  in  the  following 
clause.  It  could  not  with  any  sort  of  propriety  be  said, 
that  tfie  scefitre  should  not  depart  from  Judah,  when  Ju- 
dah  had  no  sceptre,  nor  was  to  have  any  for  many  gene- 
rations afterwards  :  but  Judah  had  a  rod  or  staff  of  a 
tribe,  for  he  was  then  constituted  a  tribe  as  well  as  the 
rest  of  his  brethren.  The  very  same  expression  occurs 
in  Zechariah,  x.  1 1.  *and  the  sceptre  of  Egypt  shall  de- 
part away,'  which  implies  that  Egypt  had  a  sceptre,  and 
that  that  sceptre  should  be  taken  away  ;  but  no  grammar 
or  language  could  justify  the  saying,  that  Judah* s  scefitre 
should  depart  or  be  taken  away,  before  Judah  was  in  pos- 
session of  any  sceptre.  Would  it  not  therefore  be  better, 
to  substitute  the  word  staff  ov  ruler  instead  of  'sce/itre,  un- 
less we  restrain  the  meaning  of  a  sceptre  to  a  rod  or  staff 
of  a  tribe,  which  is  all  that  is  here  intended  ?  The  staff  or 
ruler  shall  not  depart  from  Judah.  The  tribeship  shall  7iot 
depart  from  Judah.  Such  authority  as  Judah  had  then, 
"was  to  remain  with  his  posterity.  It  is  not  said  or  meant, 
that  he  should  not  cease  from  being  a  king  or  having  a 
kingdom,  for  he  was  then  no  king,  and  had  no  kingdom  ; 
but  only  that  he  should  not  cease  from  being  a  tribe  or 

lut  take  thou  tuith  thee,  both  thy  brethren  of  the  tribe  of  Levi  and 
the  rod  of  thy  father^  we  are  to  understand  both  the  rod  itself 
and  the  whole  tribe,  wiiich  was  thereby  signified  and  ruled. 

•  Ouk  ekleipsei  archon  ex  Juda.    Septuagint,  That  is,  a  ruler 
out  of  Judah  shall  not  be  wanting. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  79 

body  politic,  having  rulers  and  governors  of  his  own  till 
a  certain  period  here  foretold. 

,  *Nor  a  law-giver  from  between  his  feet.'  The  sense  of 
the  word  scejitre  will  help  us  to  fix  and  determine  the 
meaning  of  the  other  word  mechokek^  which  we  translate 
a  laiO'giver.  For  if  they  are  not  synonimous,  they  are 
not  very  different.  Such  as  the  government  is,  such 
inust  be  the  law-giver.  The  government  was  only  of  a 
single  tribe,  and  the  law-giver  could  be  of  no  more.  Nor 
had  the  tribe  of  Judah  at  any  time  a  legislative  authority 
over  all  the  other  tribes,  no,  not  even  in  the  reigns  of  Da- 
vid and  Solomon.  When  David  appointed  the  officers 
for  the  service  of  the  temple  ;  1  Chron.  xxv.  1.  Ezra  viii. 

20.  and  when  Solomon  was  appointed  king,  and  Zadok 
the  priest ;  1  Chron.  xxix.  22.  these  things  were  done 
with  the  consent  and  approbation  of  the  princes  and  ru- 
lers of  Israel.  Indeed  the  whole  nation  had  but  one  law, 
and  one  law-giver  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word.  The 
king  himself  was  not  properly  a  law-giver ;  he  was  only 
to  have  *  a  copy  of  the  law,  to  read  therein,  and  to  turn 
not  aside  from  the  commandment,  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left,'  Deut.  xvii.  18,  Sec.  Moses  was  truly,  as  he 
is  stiled,  the  laiv-giver;  Numb.  xxi.   18.     Deut.  xxxiii. 

21.  and  when  the  word  is  applied  to  any  other  person  or 
persons,  as  Judah  is  twice  called  by  the  Psalmist,  Psal. 
xl.  7.  cviii.  8.  7ny  law-giver,  it  is  used  in  a  lower  signi- 
fication. For  it  signifies  not  only  a  law-giver,  but  a 
judge  :  not  only  one  who  maketh  laws,  but  likewise 
one  who  exerciseth  jurisdiction :  and  in  the  Greek  • 
it  is  translated  '  hegoumenos,'  a  leader  or  president^ 
in  the  Chaldee  a  scribe,  f  in  the  Syirac  t  an  expo- 
sitor,  and  in  our  English  bible  it  is  elsewhere  translated  a 
governor,  as  in  Judges  v.  14.  <  Out  of  Machir  came 
down  governors,  and  out  of  Zebulun  they  that  handle  the 
pen  of  the  writer.*  The  laiv-giver  therefore  is  to  be  taken 
in  a  restrained  sense  as  well  as  the  sceptre  ;  and  perhaps 
it  cannot  be  translated  better  than  judge  ;   J^or  a  judge 

*  *  Kai  hegoumenos  ek  ton  meron  autou,'  Septuagint.  That 
is  a  ruler  out  of  his  loins. 

f  Nor  a  Scribe  from  his  children's  children.  See  the  Chaldee 
version. 

4  And  an  expositor  from  between  his  feet. 


80  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

from  betnvcen  his  feet.  Whether  we  understand  it,  ihi  V 
a  judge  from  between  his  feet  shall  not  defiartfromJudah^ 
or  a  judge  shall  not  depart  from  betnveen  his  feet^  I  con- 
ceive the  meaning  to  be  much  the  same,  that  there  should 
not  be  wanting  a  judge  of  the  race  and  posterity  of  Judah, 
according  to  the  Hebrew  phrase  of  children's  coming 
from  between  the  feet.  They  who  expound  it  of  sitting  at 
the  feet  of  Judah,  seem  not  to  have  considered  that  this  was 
the  place  of  scholars,  and  not  of  judges  and  doctors  of  the 
law.  As  Dan.  vcr.  16.  was  io  judge  his  fieofde  as  one  of 
the  tribes  or  rulers  of  Israel  ;  so  was  Judah,  and  with 
this  particular  prerogative,  that  ^/le  staff  or  ruler  should 
not  depart  from  Judah  nor  a  judge /rem  between  his  fcet^ 
until  the  time  here  foretold,  which  we  are  now  to  exa- 
mine and  ascertain. 

*  Until  Shiloh  come,'  that  is,  until  the  coming  of  the 
INIessiah,  as  almost  all  interpreters,  both  ancient  and  mo- 
dern, agree.  For  howsoever  they  may  explain  the  word, 
and  whencesoever  they  may  derive  it,  the  Messiah  is  the 
person  plainly  intended. — The  Vulgar  *  Latin  translates 
it  Qui  niittcndus  est,  He  ivho  is  to  be  sent ;  and  to  favour 
this  version  that  passage  in  St.  John's  Gospel,  ix.  7.  is 
usually  cited,  Go  wash  in  the  f^ool  of  Siloam,  which  is  by 
interpretation  sent;  And  who  was  ever  sent  with  such 
power  and  authority  from  God  as  the  Messiah,  who  fre- 
quently speaking  of  himself  in  the  gospel  under  the  de- 
nomination of  him  whom  the  Father  hath  sent?' — The 
t  Seventy  translate  it '  ta  a]iokei  mena  auto,'  the  things  re 
served  fjV  him,  or  according  to  other  copies  '  ho  apokei  tai* 
he  for  whom  it  is  reserved  ;  And  what  was  the  great  trea- 
sure reserved  for  Judah,  or  who  was  the  person  for  whom 
all  things  were  reserved,  but  the  IN'Iessiah,  whom  we  have 
declaring  in  the  gospel,  Matt.  xi.  27.  'All  things  are  de- 
livered unto  me  of  my  Father,'  and  again,  xxviii.  1  8 

*  All  power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth?'— 
The  Syriac  translates  it  to  the  same  purpose,  is  cujus 


•  As  if  St.  Jerome  had  read  Shiloch  instead  of  Shilob,  and  de- 
rived it  from  Shalach,  he  sent.  The  letter  in  HebreAv  made  use 
of  to  express  the  sound  of  ch^  is  nearly  of  the  same  form  with  tl)e 
letter  answering-  to  our  h. 

t  Deriving-  it  from  sh  yig'nifying  which  or  what,  and/o,  to  hirp. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  81 

iUiid  est,  he  nvhose  it  is,  I  suppose  meaning  the  kingdom  ; 
and  the  Arabic  cujus  ifise  est,  ivhose  he  is,  I  suppose 
meaning  Judah :  And  whose  was  Judah,  or  whose  was 
the  kingdom  so  properly  as  the  Messiah's,  who  is  so  ma- 
ny times  predicted  under  the  character  oi  the  king  of  Is- 
rael  ? — Junius  and  Tremellius  with  others,*  translate  it 
filiiis  ejus,  hie  son  -  And  who  could  be  this  son  of  Judah 
by  way  of  eminence,  but  the  Messiah,  *the  seed  in  which 
all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  ?' — In  the 
Samaritan  text  and  version  it  is  fiacfus,  the  peace-maker  ; 
and  thisf  perhaps  is  the  best  explication  of  the  word: 
And  to  whom  can  this  or  any  the  like- title  be  so  justly 
applied  as  to  the  Messiah,  who  is  emphatically  stiled, 
Is.  ix.  6.  *  the  prince  of  peace,*  and  at  whose  birth  was 
sung  that  heavenly  anthem,  Luke  ii.  14.  *  Glory  to  God 
in  the  highest,  and  on  earth  peace,  good  will  towards 
men  V 

These  are  the  principal  interpretations,  and  which  ever 
of  these  you  prefer,  the  person  understood  must  be  the 
Messiah.  But  the  learned  Mr.  Le  Clerc  would  explain 
the  text  in  such  a  manner  as  utterly  to  exclude  the  Mes- 
siah :  and  he  was  a  very  able  commentator,  the  best  per- 
haps upon  the  Pentateuch  ;  but  like  other  learned  men, 
he  was  sometimes  apt  to  indulge  strange  unaccountable 
fancies.  Of  this  kind,  I  conceive,  is  his  interpretation  of 
this  prophecy  ;  for  he  says  %  that  &Jiilo7i  signifies  ^wz5  ejus 
aut  cessatio,  his  end  or  ceasi?ig,  and  that  it  may  be  referred 
to  the  laiv-giver,  or  to  the  scefitre,  or  even  to  Judah  him- 
self. But  if  it  be  referred  to  the  law-giver,  or  to  the 
scefitre,  what  is  it  but  an  unmeaning  tautology.     '  There 

*As  if  it  was  derived  from  Shil,  an  issue  of  blood,  or  Sliilojah, 
the  secundines,  that  wherein  the  infant  is  wrapt,  and  thence  by 
a  metonymy,  the  infant  itself. 

1 1  look  upon  the  word  Shlloh  to  be  derived  from  the  verb 
Shalah,  he  was  tranquil  or  peaceful,  in  the  same  manner  as  Ki- 
tor  smoke  is  fojnied  from  Katar  he  made  smoke  underneath ; 
and  there  are  other  words  of  that  formation. 
-  +  He  says  that  Shiloh  is  the  same  as  Shilo,  and  Shil  may  be 
derived  from  Shul,  and  Shul  is  the  same  as  Shalah,  which  in 
Chaldee  signifies  to  cease,  to  end.  It  may  be  translated  the  end 
or  ceasing.  This  being  supposed,  his  end  may  be  referred  to 
law -givers,  to  sceptre,  or  even  to  Judah.  See  his  Commentary 
on  the  passage. 


82  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

shall  be  a  law-giver  as  long  as  there  shall  be  a  law-giver, 
There  shall  not  be  an  end  of  the  sceptre  till  the  end  of 
the  sceptre  come  ?  If  it  be  referred  to  Jiidah  or  the  tribe 
of  Judah,  the  thing  is  by  no  means  true  ;  for  the  tribe  of 
Judah  subsisted,  long  after  they  had  lost  the  kingdom, 
and  were  deprived  of  all  royal  authority.  Not  many  read- 
ers, I  imaghie,  will  concur  with  this  learned  commenta- 
tor. The  generality  of  interpreters,  Jewish  as  well  as 
Christian,  have  by  Shiloh  always  understood  the  Messiah. 
The  Targum  of  Onkelos  is  commonly  supposed  *  to  have 
been  made  before  our  Saviour's  time,  and  hef  thus  ex- 
presseth  the  sense  of  the  passage,  "  There  shall  not  be 
taken  away  one  having  the  principality  from  the  house  of 
Judah,  nor  a  scribe  from  his  children's  children,  till  Mes- 
siah come  whose  is  the  kingdom."  And  with  him  agree 
the  other  Targums  or  Chaldee  paraphrases,  and  the  au- 
thors of  the  Talmud,  and  other  ancient  and  modern  Jews, 
whom  the  reader  may  see  cited  in  Buxtorf  upon  the 
word.  So  that,  I  think,  no  doubt  can  remain,  that  by  the 
coming  of  Shiloh  is  meant  the  coming  of  the  Messiah. 

*  And  imto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  people  be,' 
or  obedience  of  the  people,  as  it  is  otherwise  translated. 
These  words,  are  capable  of  three  different  constructions; 
and  each  so  probable,  that  it  is  not  easy  to  say  which  was 
certainly  intended  by  the  author.  For  1.  they  may  relate 
to  Judah,  who  is  the  main  subject  of  the  prophecy,  and 
of  the  discourse  preceding  and  following  ;  and  by  the 
people  we  may  understand  the  people  of  Israel :  and  then 
the  meaning  will  be,  that  the  other  tribes  should  be  gath- 
ered to  the  tribe  of  Judah  ;  which  sense  is  approved  by 
Le  Clerc  and  some  late  commentators.  Or  2.  they  may 
relate  to  Shiloh,  who  is  the  person  mentioned  immediately 
before  ;  and  by  the  pa-.ofilc  we  may  understand  the  Gen- 
tiles: and  then  tlie  meaning  will  be,  that  the  Gentiles 
should  be  gathered  or  become  obedient  to  the  Messiah  ; 
which  sense  is  consonant  to  other  texts  of  scripture  and 
is  confirmed  by  the  authority  of  most  ancient  interpreters ; 

*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  2.  Book  VIII.  and  year  37. 
t  There  shall  not  be  taken  away  one,  having- the  cliief  rule, 

from  the  tribe  of  Judah,  nor  a  Scribe  from  liis  children's  child- 
r(,'n,  even  for  ever;  till  Messiah  come,  whose  is  the  kingdom. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  33 

only  some  *  of  them  render  it,  and  he  shall  be  the  ex^ 
fiectation  of  the  nation.  Or  3.  they  may  still  relate  to 
Shiloh^  and  yet  not  be  considered  as  a  distinct  clause,  but 
be  joined  in  construction  with  the  proceedins^  words,  until 
Shiloh  come^  the  word  until  being  common  to  both  parts; 
and  then  the  sentence  will  run  thus,  ujitil  Shiloh  come  a?id 
to  him  the  gathering  or  obedience  of  the  fieojile^  that  is, 
until  the  Messiah  come,  and  until  the  people  or  nations 
be  gathered  to  his  obedience  ;  which  sense  is  preferred 
by  the  most  learned  Mr.  Medef  and  some  others.  And 
each  of  these  interpretations  may  very  well  be  justified 
by  the  event. 

II.  Having  thus  explained  the  words  and  meaning  of 
the  prophecy,  I  now  proceed  to  show  the  full  and  exact 
completion  of  it.  The  tvvelve  sons  of  Jacob  are  here 
constituted  twelve  tribes  or  heads  of  tribes,  ver.  28.  "  All 
these  are  the  twelve  tribes  of  Israel ;  and  this  is  it  that 
their  father  spake  unto  them,  and  blessed  them ;  every 
one  according  to  his  blessing  he  blessed  them."  To  Ju- 
dah  particularly  it  was  promised,  that  the  sce/itre  or  rod 
of  the  tribe  should  not  depart  from  him^  nor  a  judge  or 
laiu-giverfrom  bet'iueen  his  feet;  his  tribe  should  continue 
a  distinct  tribe  with  rulers  and  judges  and  governors  of 
its  own,  until  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  The  people 
of  Israel  after  this  settlement  of  their  government  were 
reckoned  by  their  tribes,  but  never  before.  It  appears 
that  they  were  reckoned  by  their  tribes  and  according  to 
their  families,  while  they  sojourned  in  Egypt:  and  the- 
tribe  of  Judah  made  as  considerable  a  figure  as  any  of 
them.  In  number  it  was  superior  to  the  others  ;  Numb, 
i.  and  xxvi.  it  had  the  first  rank  in  the  armies  of  Israel ; 
Numb.  ii.  it  marched  first  against  the  Canaaniles  :  Judg. 
i.  and  upon  all  occasions  manifested  such  courage  as  fully 
answered  the  character  given  of  it,  ver.  9.  <  Judah  is  a 
lion's  whelp  ;  from  the  prey,  my  son,  thou  art  gone  up  : 

*  And  he  shall  be  the  expectation  of  the  nations.  So  the  Vul- 
gate following  the  Septuapf  int,  dotli  translate. 

f  See  Mode's  Discoui'se  VIII.  and  Gothofredus  Valandus* 
Dissertation,  entituled,  a  leader  not  to  depart  from  the  midst 
of  the  citiz-cns  of  Judah,  before  the  miivcrsal  empire  of  Messiah. 
See  Collection  of  Dissertations,  Vol,  I,  and  Mann's  critical  note 
on  the  passage. 


S4>  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

lie  stooped  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion,  and  as  an  old  lion, 
who  shall  rouse  him  up  ?*  If  the  first  king  of  Israel  was 
of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  the  second  was  of  the  tribe  of 
Judah ;  and  from  that  time  to  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
Judah  had  not  only  the  sceptre  of  a  tribe,  but  likewise 
the  sceptre  of  a  kingdom.  When  it  was  promised  to  Ju- 
dah particularly  that  the  sceptre  should  not  depart  from 
him,  it  was  implied  that  it  should  depart  from  the  other 
tribes :  and  accordingly  the  tribe  of  Benjaniin  became  a 
sort  of  appendage  to  the  kingdom  of  Judah  ;  and  the  other 
ten  tribes  were  after  a  time  carried  away  captive  into  As- 
syria, from  whence  they  never  returned.  The  Jews  also 
were  carried  captive  to  Babylon,  but  returned  after  se- 
venty years :  and  during  their  captivity  they  were  far 
from  being  treated  as  slaves,  as  it  appears  from  the  pro- 
phet's advice  to  them ;  Jerem.  xxix.  5,  See.  *  Build  ye 
houses  and  dwell  in  them ;  and  plant  gardens,  and  eat  the 
fruit  of  them.  Sec'  and  many  of  them  were  so  well  fixed 
and  settled  at  Babylon,  and  lived  there  in  such  ease  and 
affluence,  that  they  refused  to  return  to  their  native  coun- 
try. In  their  captivity  they  were  still  allowed  to  live  as 
a  distinct  people,  appointed  feasts  and  fasts  for  themselves, 
and  had  rulers  and  governors  of  their  own,  as  we  may 
collect  from  several  places  in  Ezra  and  Nehemiah.  When 
Cyrus  had  issued  his  proclamation  for  the  rebuilding  of 
the  temple, '  then  rose  up  the  chief  of  the  fathers,'  saith 
Ezra,  i.  5.  so  that  they  had  chiefs  and  rulers  among 
ihem.  Cyrus  ordered  the  vessels  of  the  temple  to  be  de- 
livered to  the  prince  of  Judah  ;  Ezra  i.  8.  'SO  that  they 
had  then  a  prince  of  Judah.  And  these  princes  and  ru- 
lars,  who  are  often  mentioned,  managed  their  return  and 
settlement  afterwards.  It  is  true  that  after  the  Babylonish 
captivity  they  were  not  so  free  a  people  as  before,  living 
under  the  dominion  of  the  Persians,  Greeks  and  Romans  ; 
but  still  they  lived  as  a  distinct  people  under  their  own 
laws.  The  authority  of  their  rulers  and  elders  subsisted 
under  these  foreign  masters,  as  it  had  even  while  they 
were  in  Egypt.  It  subsisted  under  the  Asmonean  princes, 
as  it  had  under  the  government  of  the  Judges,  and  Samuel, 
and  Saul  ;  for  in  the  books  of  Maccabees  there  is  frequent 
mention  of  the  rulers  and  elders  and  cou7icil  of  the  JewSf 
and  of  ptiblic  acts  and  memorials  in  their  name.    It  sub- 


THE  PUOPIIECIES.  85 

sisted  even  in  our  Saviour's  time,  for  in  the  gospels  we 
read  often  of  *  the  chief  priests,  and  the  scribes  and  the 
elders  of  the  people.'  '1  heir  power  indeed  in  capital 
causes,  especially  such  as  related  to  the  state,  was  abridged 
in  some  measure;  they  might  judge,  but  not  execute 
without  the  consent  of  the  Roman  governor,  as  I  think 
we  must  infer  from  this  passage,  John  xviii.  31.  *  Then 
said  Pilate  unto  them,  Take  ye  him,  and  judge  him  ac- 
cording to  your  law :  the  Jews  therefore  said  unto  him, 
It  is  not  lawful  for  us  to  put  any  man  to  death.'  The 
sceptre  was  then  departing,  and  in  about  forty  years  af- 
terwards it  totally  departed.  'I' heir  city  was  taken,  their 
temple  was  destroyed,  and  they  themselves  were  either 
slain  with  the  sword,  or  sold  for  slaves.  And  from  that 
time  to  this  they  have  never  formed  one  body  or  society, 
but  have  been  dispersed  among  all  nations ;  their  tribes 
and  genealogies  have  been  all  confounded,  and  they  have 
lived  without  a  ruler,  without  a  law-giver,  and  without 
supreme  authority  and  government  in  any  part  of  the 
earth.  .  And  this  a  captivity  not  for  seventy  years,  but 
for  seventeen  hundred.  "  Nor  will  they  ever  be  able  (as 
the  learned  prelate  *  expresseth  it)  after  all  their  preten- 
ces, to  show  any  signs  or  marks  of  the  sccfiire  among 
them,  till  they  discover  the  unknown  country,  where 
never  mankind  dweH,  and  where  the  apocryphal  Esdras 
has  placed  their  brethren  of  the  ten  tribes."  2  Esdras 
xiii.  41. 

We  have  seen  the  exact  completion  of  the  former  part 
of  the  prophecy,  and  now  let  us  attend  to  that  of  the  lat- 
ter part, '  And  unto  him  shall  the  gathering  of  the  peo- 
ple be.'  If  we  understand  this  of  Judah,  that  the  other 
tribes  should  be  gathered  to  that  tribe,  it  was  in  some  mea- 
sure fulfilled  by  the  people's  going  up  so  frequently  as 
they  did  to  Jerusalem,  which  was  in  the  tribe  of  Judah,  in 
crder  to  obtain  justice  in  difficult  cases,  and  to  worship 
God  in  his  holy  temple.  '  Whither  the  tribes  go  up,'  saith 
the  Psalmist  cxxii.  4,  5.  'the  tribes  of  the  Lord;  unto 
the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give  thanks  unto  the  name  of 
the  Lord.  For  there  are  set  thrones  of  judgment;  the 
thrones  of  the  house  of  David.*  Upon  the  division  of  the 

*  Bishop  Shelock's  Dissertation  3d.  page  351.  edit.  ^. 
VOL.    I.  H 


86  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

kingdoms  of  Israel  and  Judah,  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and 
the  priests  and  Levites,  and  several  out  of  all  the  other 
tribes,  2  Chron.  xi.  13,  16.  went  over  to  Judah,  and  were 
so  blended  and  incorporated  together,  that  they  are  more 
than  once  spoken  of  under  the  notion  of  one  tribe : 
1  Kings  xi.  13,  32,  36.  and  it  is  said  expressly,  1  Kings  xii. 
20. '  there  was  none  that  followed  the  house  of  David, 
but  the  tribe  of  Judah  only ;'  all  the  rest  were  swallowed 
up  in  that  tribe,  and  considered  as  parts  and  members  of 
it.  In  like  manner,  when  the  Israelites  were  carried  away 
captive  into  Assyria,  it  is  said,  2  Kings  xvii.  18. 'there 
was  none  left  but  the  tribe  of  Judah  only :'  and  yet  we 
know  that  the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  many  of  the  other 
tribes  remained  too,  but  they  are  reckoned  as  one  and 
the  same  tribe  with  Judah.  Nay  at  this  very  time  there 
was  a  remnant  of  Israel,  that  escaped  from  the  Assyrians, 
and  went  and  adhered  to  Judah :  for  we  find  afterwards, 
that  in  the  reign  of  Josiah  there  was  some  '  of  Manasseh 
and  Ephraim  and  of  the  remnant  of  Israel,*  who  contri- 
buted money  to  the  repairing  of  the  temple,  as  well  as 

*  Judah  and  Benjamin;*  1  Chron.  xxxiv.  9.  and  at  the 
solemn  celebration  of  the  passover,  some  *  of  Israel  were 
present,*  as  well  as  '  all  Judah  and  the  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem.* When  the  people  returned  from  the  Babylonish 
captivity,  then  again  several  of  the  tribes  of  Israel  associ- 
ated themselves,  and  returned  with  Judah  and  Benjamin; 

*  and  in  Jerusalem  dwelt  of  the  children  of  Judah,  and  of 
the  children  of  Benjamin,  and  of  the  children  of  Ephraim 
and  Manasseh,'  1  Chron.  ix.  3.  At  so  many  times,  and 
upon  such  different  occasions,  the  other  tribes  were  ga- 
thered to  this  tribe,  insomuch  that  Judah  became  the  ge- 
neral name  of  the  whole  nation;  and  after  the  Babylonish 
captivity  they  were  no  longer  called  the  people  of  Israel, 
but  the  peojilc  of  Judah  or  Jt  ws. 

Again  ;  if  we  understand  this  of  Shiloh  or  the  Messiah, 
that  the  people  or  Gentiles  should  be  gathered  to  his  obe- 
dience, it  is  no  more  than  is  foretold  in  many  other  pro- 
phecies of  scripture,  and  it  began  to  be  fulfi  led  in  Corne- 
lius the  centurion,  whose  conversion,  Acts  x.  was,  as  I 
may  say.  the  first  fruits  of  the  Gentiles,  and  the  harvest 
afterwards  was  very  plenteous.  In  a  few  years  the  gos- 
pel was  disseminated,  and  '  look  root  downward,  and  bore 


THE  PROrilECIES.  87 

fruit  upward'  in  the  most  considerable  parts  of  the  world 
then  known :  and  in  Constantine's  time,  when  the  em- 
pire became  Christian,  it  might  with  some  propriety  be 
said, '  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  are  become  the  king- 
doms of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,  and  he  shall  reign 
for  ever  and  ever,'  Rev.  xi.  15.  We  ourselves  were  of 
the  Gentiles,  but  are  wow  gathered  unto  Christ.* 

Lastly,  if  we  join  this  in  construction  with  the  words 
preceding  until  Shiloh  come^  two  events  are  specified  as 
fore-runners  of  the  sceptre's  departing  from  Judah,  the 
coming  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  gathering  of  the  Gentiles 
to  him;  and  these  together  point  out  with  greater  exact- 
ness the  precise  time  of  the  sceptre's  departure.  Now 
it  is  certain  that  before  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and 
the  dissolution  of  the  Jewish  commonwealth  by  the  Ro- 
mans, the  Messiah  was  not  only  come,  but  great  numbers 
likewise  of  the  Gentiles  were  converted  to  him.  The 
very  same  thing  was  predicted  by  our  Saviour  himself, 
Mat.  xxiv.  14.  *  This  gospel  of  the  kingdom  shall  be 
preached  in  all  the  world,  for  a  witness  unto  all  nations, 
and  then  shall  the  end  come ;'  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, and  end  of  the  Jewish  constitution.  The  Jews  were 
not  to  be  cut  off,  till  the  Gentiles  were  grafled  into  the 
church.  And  in  fact  we  find  that  the  apostles  and  their 
companions  preached  the  gospel  in  all  the  parts  of  the 
world  then  known,  *  Their  sound,'  as  St.  Paul  applies  the 
saying,  Rom.  x.  18.  ^  went  into  all  the  earth;  and  their 
words  unto  the  ends  of  the  world.'  And  then  the  end 
cavie^  then  an  end  was  put  to  the  Jewish  polity  in  church 
and  state.  The  government  of  the  tribe  of  Judah  had 
subsisted  in  some  form  or  other  from  the  death  of  Jacob 
to  the  last  destruction  of  Jerusalem:  but  then  it  was  ut- 
terly broken  and  ruined  ;  then  the  sceptre  departed,  and 

*  [Such  was  the  value  of  his  sacrifice  and  mediation,  that  it 
was  considered  a  light  thing  for  him,  merely  to  raise  up  the 
tribes  of  Jacob :  he  must  be  a  light  to  the  Gentiles  and  God's 
salvation  to  the  ends  of  the  earth.  Nor  has  this  promise  yet 
spent  its  force :  probably  the  greater  part  of  it  is  yet  to  be  ful- 
filled. What  is  foretold  of  the  church  in  the  Ix.  of  Isaiah,  of 
multitudes  of  all  nations  gathering-  together  unto  her,  will  be 
the  accomplishment  of  this  promise  concerning"  Christ;  for  those 
who  are  gathered  to  her  are  first  gathered  to'liim.]       FtiUer. 


88  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

hath  been  departed  ever  since.  And  now  even  the  dis- 
tinction of  tribes  is  in  great  measure  lost  among  them; 
they  are  called  Jews,  but  the  tribe  of  Judah  is  so  far  fromi 
jjearing-  rule,  that  they  know  not  for  certain  which  is  the 
tribe  of  Judah  ;  and  all  the  world  is  witness,  that  they  ex- 
ercise dominion  no  where,  but  every  where  live  in  sub- 
jection. 

Before  we  conclude,  it  may  not  be  improper  to  add  a 
just  observation  of  the  learned  prelate  before  cited.  As 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin  annexed  itself  to  the  tribe  of  Judah 
as  its  head,  so  it  ran  the  same  fortune  with  it;  they  went 
together  into  captivity,  they  returned  home  together,  and 
were  both  in  being  when  Shiloh  came.  This  also  was 
foretold  by  Jacob,  ver.  27.  '  Benjamin  shall  ravin  as  a 
wolf;  in  the  morning  he  shall  devour  the  prey,  and  at 
night  he  shall  divide  the  spoil.'  The  morrdng  and  night 
here  can  be  nothing  else  but  the  morning*  and  night  of 
the  Jewish  state  ;  for  this  state  is  the  subject  of  all  Jacob's 
prophecy  from  one  end  to  the  other:  and  consecjuently  it 
is  here  foretold  of  Benjamin  that  he  should  continue  to 
the  very  last  times  of  the  Jewish  state.  This  interpreta- 
tion is  confirmed  by  Moses'  prophecy,  for  the  prophecy 
of  iMoses  is  in  truth  an  exposition  of  Jacob's  prophecy. 
'Benjamin,*  saith  Moses,  Deut.  xxxiii.  12. 'sliall  dwell 
in  safety  ;  the  Lord  shall  cover  him  all  the  day  long.* 
What  is  this  all  the  day  long  ?  The  same  certainly  as  the 
morning  and  night.  Does  not  this  import  a  promise  of  a 
longer  continuance  to  Benjamin,  than  to  the  other  tribes? 
And  was  it  not  most  exactly  fulHlled? 

To  conclude*  This  prophecy  and  the  completion  of 
it  will  furnish  us  with  an  invincible  argument,  not  only 
that  the  Messiah  is  come,  but  also  that  Jesus  Christ  is 
the  person.  For  the  sceptre  was  not  to  depart  from  Ju- 
dah, until  the  Messiah  should  come  :  but  the  sceptre  hath 
long  been  departed,  and  consequently  the  Messiah  hath 
been  long   corne^     The   sceptre   departed  at  the  final 

*  Thus  some  Jewish  iiiterprcters,  referred  to  by  Bochart,  un- 
derstood the  expression;  In  tlie  morning",  that  is,  in  the  first  or 
early  limes  of  the  Isruelitisli  kingdom. — In  the  evening,  that 
is,  after  the  time  of  the  liabvlonish  captivity.  Sec  Bochart's 
Uicrozoicon,  first  Part,  Book  111.  Chap.  x.   Col.  828. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  Si' 

destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  hath  been  departed  seven- 
teen centuries;  and  consequentjy  the  Messiah  came  a 
little  before  that  period :  and  if  the  Messiah  came  a  little 
before  that  period,  prejudice  itself  cannot  long  make  any 
doubt  concerning  the  person.  All  considerate  men  must 
say  as  Simon  Peter  said  to  Jesus,  John  vi.  68,  69  :  '  Lord, 
to  whom  shall  we  go  ?  thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life. 
And  we  believe  and  are  sure  that  thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
son  of  the  living  God.* 


,      BALAAM'S  PROPHECIES. 

WONDERFUL  as  the  gift  of  prophecy  was,  it  was 
not  always  confined  to  the  chosen  seed,  nor  yet  always 
imparted  to  the  best  of  men.  God  might  sometimes,  to 
convince  the  world  of  his  superintendance  and  govern- 
ment of  the  world,  disclose  the  purposes  of  his  providence 
to  heathen  nations.  He  revealed  himself  to  Abimelech, 
Gen.  XX.  to  Pharaoh,  Gen.  xli.  and  to  Nebuchadnezzar, 
Dan.  ii.  and  we  have  no  reason  to  deny  all  the  marvellous 
stories  which  are  related  of  divination  among  the  Hea- 
thens i  the  possibility  and  credibility  of  which  is  argued 
on  both  sides  by  Cicero  in  his  two  books  of  Divination, 
his  brother  Quintus-  asserting  it  in  the  first  book,  and 
himself  labouring  to  disprove  it  in  the  second ;  but  I 
think  all  unprejudiced  readers  nmust  agree,  that  the  argu- 
ments for  it  are  stronger  and  better  than  those  urged 
against  it.  Neither  was  there  any  necessity,  that  the  pro- 
phets should  always  be  good  men.  Unworthy  persons 
may  sometimes  be  possessed  of  spiritual  gifts  as  well  as 
of  natural.  Aaron  and  Miriam,  who  were  inspired  upon 
some  occasions,  yet  upon  others  mutinied  against  Moses^^ 
and  rebelled  against  God.  Jonah,  for  his  disobedience  ta 
God,  was  thrown  into  the  sea.  In  the  1 3th  chapter  of  the 
first  book  of  Kings  we  read  of  two  prophets,  the  one  a 
liar  afterwards  inspired,  the  other  inspired  and  afte?wards 
disobedient  to  the  y^ord  of  the  Lord.    Yea,  our  Saviour 


90  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

himself  hath  assured  us,  Matt,  vii  22.  23.  that,  *  in  the 
last  day  many  will  say  unto  him,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we  not 
prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name  have  cast  out 
devils  ?  and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ? 
and  yet  will  he  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  ;  de- 
part from  me,  ye  that  work  iniquity.* 

Balaam  was  a  remarkable  instance  of  both  kinds,  both 
of  a  prophet  who  was  a  heathen,  and  of  a  prophet  who 
M'as  an  immoral  man.  He  came  from  ylram  or  Mesopo- 
tamia, out  of  the  mountains  of  the  east  ;  Numb,  xxiii.  7. 
Deut.  xxiii.  4.  and  the  east  was  infamous  for  soothsayers 
und  diviners.  Is.  ii.  6.  However,  he  was  a  worshipper 
of  the  true  God,  (as  were  also  Melchizedeck,  and  Job,  and 
others  of  the  heathen  nations)  and  this  appears  by  his  ap- 
plying to  God.  Numb.  xxii.  8;  '  I  will  Ixing  you  word 
again,  as  the  Lord  shall  speak  unto  me ;'  and  by  his  cal- 
ling* the  Lord  his  God,  ver.  18.  '  I  cannot  go  beyond  the 
Avord  of  the  Lord  my  God,  to  do  less  or  more.'  But  his 
worship  was  mixed  and  debased  with  superstition,  as  ap- 
pears by  his  building  seven  ai/ars,  and  sacrificing  on  each 
altar.  Numb,  xxiii.  1,  2.  and  by  his  going  to  seek  for  in* 
rhantments,  whatever  they  v.erc.  Numb.  xxiv.  1.  He  ap- 
pears to  to  have  had  some  pious  thoughts  and  resolutions, 
by  declaring,  '  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  w^ord  of  the  Lord 
my  God  to  do  less  or  more  ;'  and  by  so  earnestly  wish- 
ing, '  Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my 
last  end  be  like  his,*  xxiii.  10.  But  his  heart  was  un- 
sound, was  mercenary,  was  corrupt  ;  he  *  loved  the  wa- 
ges of  unrighteousness,*  3  Pet.  ii.  15.  and  '  ran  greedily 
after  rewards:*  Jucle.  1 1.  his  inclinations  were  contrary 
to  his  duty  ;  he  was  ordered  to  stay,  but  yet  he  wished  to 
go  ;  he  was  commanded  to  bless,  but  yet  he  longed  to 
V  ursc ;  and  when  he  found  that  he  was  over-ruled,  and 
t:ould  do  the  people  no  hurt  as  a  prophet,  he  still  contriv- 
ed to  do  it  as  a  politician,  and  taught  Balak  to  cast  a 
stumbling-block  before  the  children  of  Israel,  to  eatthings 
sacrificed  unto  idols,  and  to  commit  fornication.*  Rev.  ii. 
14.  So  that  he  was  indeed  a  strange  mixture  of  a  man  ; 
but  so  is  every  man  more  or  less.  There  are  inconsis- 
tencies and  contradictions  in  every  character,  though  not 
so  greai  perhaps  and  notorious  as  in  Balaam.  If  he  is 
'  called  a  soothsayer  in  one  part  of  scripture,  Josh.  xiiL  2^s. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  91. 

in  another  part  he  is  called  2^firo/ihet  :  2  Pet.  ii.  16.  and 
his  name  must  have  been  in  high  credit  and  estimation, 
that  the  king  of  Moab  and  the  elders  of  Midian  should 
think  it  worth  their  while  to  send  two  honourable  embas- 
sies to  him  at  a  considerable  distance,  to  engage  him  to 
come  and  curse  the  people  of  Israel.  It  was  a  supersti- 
tious ceremony  in  use  among  the  heathens  to  devote  their 
enemies  to  destruction  at  the  beginning  of  their  wars,  as 
if  the  gods  would  enter  into  their  passions,  and  were  as 
unjust  and  partial  as  themselves.  The  Romans  had  pub- 
lic officers  to  perform  the  ceremony,  and  *Macrobius 
hath  preserved  the  form  of  these  execrations.  Now  Ba- 
laam being  a  prophet  of  great  note  and  eminence,  it  was 
believed  that  he  was  more  intimate  than  others  with  the 
heavenly  powers,  and  consequently  that  his  imprecations 
would  be  more  effectual ;  for  as  Balak  said  unto  him, 
Numb.  xxii.  6.  '  I  wot  that  he  whom  thou  blessest  is 
blessed,  and  he  whom  thou  cursest  is  cursed.' 

But  the  strangest  incident  of  all  is  the  part  of  Balaam's 
ass.  This  usually  is  made  the  grand  objection  to  the 
truth  of  the  story.  The  speaking  ass  from  that  time  to 
this  hath  been  the  standing  jest  of  every  infidel  brother. — 
Philo  the  Jew  seemeth  to  have  been  ashamed  of  this  part 
of  the  story  :  for  in  the  first  book  of  his  life  of  Moses, 
wherein  he  hath  given  an  account  of  Balaam,  he  hath 
purposely  omitted  this  particular  of  the  ass's  speaking,  I 
suppose  not  to  give  oftence  to  the  Gentiles  ;  but  he  need- 
ed not  to  have  been  so  cautious  of  offending  them,  for  si- 
milar stories  were  current  among  them.  The  learned  f 
Bochart  hath  collected  several  instances,  the  ass  of  Bac- 
chus, the  ram  of  Phrixus,  the  horse  of  Achilles,  and  the 
like,  not  only  from  the  poets  and  mythologists,  but  also 
from  the  gravest  historians,  such  as  Livy  and  Plutarch, 
who  frequently  affirm  that  oxen  have  spoken.  The 
proper  use  of  citing  such  authorities  is  not  to  prove,  that 
those  instances  and  this  of  Balaam  are  upon  an  equal 
footing,  and  equally  true  ;  but  only  to  prove,  that  the 
Gentiles  believed  such  things  to  be  true,  and  to  lie  within 
the  power  of  their  gods,  and  consequently  could  not  ob- 

*  In  his  Saturnalia,  Book  HI,  Chap.  ix. 

f  See  the  first  part  of  the  Hierozoicon,  Book  II.  Chap.  xiv. 


92  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ject  to  the  truth  of  scripture-history  on  this  account.-— 
Maifttonides  and  others  have  conceived,  that  the  matter 
was  transacted  in  a  vision  :  and  it  must  be  confessed,  that 
many  things  in  the  writings  of  the  prophets  are  spoken 
of  as  real  transactions,-\vhich  were  only  visionary  ;  and 
these  visions  made  as  strong  impressions  upon  the  minds 
of  the  prophets  as  realities.  But  it  appears  rather  more 
probable  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the  narration,  that  this 
was  no  visionary,  but  a  real  transaction.  The  words  of 
St.  Peter  show,  that  it  is  to  be  understood,  as  he  himself 
understood  it,  literally:  2  Tet.  ii.  14,  15,  16.  'Cursed 
children :  which  have  forsaken  the  right  way,  and 
are  gone  astray,  following  the  way  of  Balaam  the  son  of 
Bosor,  who  loved  the  wages  of  unrighteousness  ;  but  was 
rebuked  for  his  iniquity;  the  dumb  ass  speaking  with  man's 
voice,  forbad  the  madness  of  the  prophet/  The  ass  was 
enabled  to  utter  such  and  such  sounds  *  probably, as  parrots 
do,  without  understanding  them  :  and  say  what  you  will  of 
the  construction  of  the  ass's  mouth,  of  the  formation  of 
the  tongue  and  jaws  being  unfit  for  speaking,  yet  an  ade- 
quate cause  is  assigned  for  this  wonderful  effect,  for  it  is 
said  expressly, '  that  the  Lord  opened  tlie  mouth  of  the  ass  ;' 
and  no  one  who  believes  a  God,  can  doubt  of  his  having 
power  to  do  this,  and  much  more.  If  the  whole  transac- 
tion was  visionary,  no  reason  can  be  given  why  it  was 
said  particularly,  that  'the  Lord  opened  the  mouth  of  the 
ass.'  But  it  is  thought  strange  that  Balaam  should  ex- 
press no  surprise  upon  this  extraordinary  occasion :  but 
perhaps  he  had  been  accustomed  to  prodigies  with  hisin- 
ehantments;  or  perhaps,  believing  the  eastern  doctrine 
of  tl^e  transmigration  of  human  souls  into  the  bodies  of 
brutes,  he  might  think  such  a  humanized  brute  not  in- 
capable of  speaking  :  or  perhaps,  he  might  not  regard,  or 
attend  to  the  v/ondcr,  through  excess  of  rage  and  madness 
as  the  word  is  in  St.  Peter ;  or  perhaps,  (which  is  the 
most  probable  of  all)  he  might  be  greatly  disturbed  and 

*  [And  where  is  the  wonder  of  all  this)  If  the  ass  hud  opened 
her  own  mouth  and  reproved  the  rash  prophet,  we  might  well  be 
astonished,  but  when  God  opens  the  mouth,  an  ass  can  speak  as 
well  as  a  man.  It  is  worthy  of  remark  here,  that  Balaam  testi- 
fies no  surprise  at  this  miracle  because  he  saw  it  was  the  Loid'iJ 
doings  ]  ^.  Clarkc> 


THE  PROPHECIES.  93 

astonished,  as  Josephus  •^  afTirms  he  was,  and  yet  Moses 
in  his  short  history  might  omit  this  circumstance.  Tlie 
miracle  was  by  no  means  needless  or  superP.uous;  it  was 
very  proper  to  convince  Balaani,  that  the  mouth  and  ton- 
p:ue  were  under  God's  direction,  and  that  the  same  divine 
power  which  caused  the  dumb  ass  to  speak  contrary  to 
its  nature,  could  make  him  in  like  manner  utter  blessings 
contrary  to  his  inclination.  And  accordingly  he  was  over- 
ruled to  bless  the  people,  though  he  came  prepared  and 
disposed  to  curse  them,  which  according  to  Bochart  f  was 
the  greater  miracle  of  the  two,  for  the  ass  was  merely 
passive,  but  Balaam  resisted  the  good  motions  of  God. — 
We  may  be  the  more  certain  that  he  was  influenced  to 
speak  contrary  to  his  inclination,  because  after  he  had  done 
prophecying,  tbnigh  he  had  been  ordered  in  anger  to  de- 
part and  y?(?<?  ^0  his  place ;  Numb.  xxiv.  10.  II.  yet  he 
had  the  meanness  to  stay,  and  give  th^t  wicked  counsel, 
whereby  the  people  were  enticed  'to  commit  whoredom 
with  the  daughters  of  Moab,  and  twenty  and  four  thou- 
sand died  in  the  plague,'  Numb  xxv. 

This  miracle  then  was  a  proper  sign  to  Balaam,  and 
had  a  proper  effect ;  and  we  may  the  more  easily  believe 
it,  when  we  find  Balaam  afterwards  inspired  with  such 
knowledge  of  futurity.  It  was  not  more  above  the  natur- 
al capacity  of  the  ass  to  speak,  than  it  was  above  the  na- 
tural capacity  of  Balaam  to  foretel  so  many  distant  events. 
The  prophecies  render  the  miracle  more  credible  ;  and 
we  shall  have  less  reason  to  doubt  of  the  one,  when  we  see 

*  See  Antiquities,  Book  IV.  Chap.  VI.  Sect.  2.  But  whilst 
he  was  astonished  and  confounded  by  the  ass  addressing  him  ia 
a  human  voice,  &c.     See  page  150,  of  Hudson's  edition. 

f  Rabba  in  his  twentieth  section  on  the  book  of  Numbers,  af- 
firms that  God  opened  the  mouth  of  Balaam's  ass,  to  teach  him, 
that  the  mouth  and  the  tongue  were  in  his  power,  and  so  those 
of  Balaam  himself,  if  he  should  go  about  tocur.se  Israel.  And 
indeed,  the  event  itself  shewed  the  same  thing,  seeing  Balaani 
in  spite  of  all  that  could  be  done,  blessed  the  very  persons, 
whom  with  so  much  parade,  it  was  intended  that  he  should 
curse.  This  was  even  a  greater  miracle  than  when  the  ass  spake. 
For  the  ass  was  merely  passive,  whereas  Balaam  to  the  utmost 
opposed  himself  to  the  influences  of  Cod,  as  Saul  did  when  he 
prophecicd.  See  the  first  part  of  Hierozoicon,  Book  II.  Chap, 
xiv. 


94  DISSERTATIONS  OJ? 

the  accomplishment  of  the  others.  His  predictions  ate 
indeed  wonderful,  whether  we  consider  the  matter  or  the 
stile,  as  if  the  same  divine  spirit  that  inspired  his  thoughts 
had  also  raised  his  language.  They  are  called  parables 
in  the  sacred  text:  he  took  up  his  parable,  and  said.  The 
same  v/ordis  used  after  the  same  manner  in  the  book  of 
Job,  xxvii.l.  xxix.  1  Moreover^  Job  continued  his  parable^ 
and  said.  It  is  commonly  translated  parable  or  proverb. 
Le  Clerc  translates  'wjiguraiioms  orationem  ;  and  thereby 
is  meant  a  weighty  and  solemn  speech  delivered  in  figu- 
rative and  majestic  language  Such,  remarkably  such,*  are 
the  prophecies  or  parables  of  Balaam.  V'ou  cannot  per- 
ruse  them  without  being  struck  with  the  beauty  of  them. 
You  will  perceive  uncommon  force  and  energy,  if  you 
read  them  only  in  our  English  translation.  We  shall 
select  only  such  parts  as  are  more  immediately  relative 
to  the  design  of  these  discourses. 

After  he  had  offered  his  Brst  sacrifice,  Numb,  xxiii.  he 
went  to  seek  the  Lord,  and  at  his  return  he  declared 
among  other  things,  <  Lo,  the  people  shall  dwell  alone, 
and  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations,'  ver.  9. 

*  See  to  this  purpose  Bishop  Lowth's  Prelections,  particular- 
ly the  fourth,  page  41,  and  eighteenth,  page  173,  and  his  ingeni- 
ous version  of  Part  of  Balaam's  prophecies  into  Latin  verse. — 
See  Prelection  XX.  page  206.  The  reader  will  not  be  displeas- 
ed to  see  here  a  prose  translation  of  it.  How  glorious  in  thine 
encampment,  O  Jacob!  and  in  thy  standards,  O  [srael!  Thou  art 
like  a  well  watered  valley,  stretching  out  its  fertile  sides,  or  as 
a  garden  abounding  v/ith  streams.  Thou  art  like  the  spicy 
plants  in  Eden's  consecrated  ground,  always  verdant  and  flour- 
ishing, or  like  trees  planted  by  tlie  rivers,  whose  moist  branches 
drop  by  reason  of  copious  dews,  and  whose  fruit  is  nourished  by 
perennial  waters.  Thy  king  always  victorious  over  thine  ene- 
mies, shall  extend  and  perpetuate  thy  dominion.  Thy  God  hav- 
ing triumphed  gloriously,  over  tlie  Kgypiians,  liath  been  thy 
leader  from  the  banks  of  tlie  Nile,  daily  renewing  thy  strength. 
Thou  art  like  an  unicorn,  tliat  has  escaped  from  the  toils  of  the 
hunter,  wliicli  elated  carries  its  horn  aloft.  It  devours  its  ene- 
mies, crushes  tlicir  bones,  and  breaks  in  pieces  the  spears  of  its 
assaihints.  Thou  art  like  a  lion  stretched  out  and  lying  at  his 
case,  or  like  a  lioness  couching,  who  dare  rouse  thee  ?  May  every 
one  be  enriched  Vv^ith  blessings  who  prays  for  thy  prosperity, 
and  may  he  be  overwhelmed  with  calamities  who  prays  for  tiiy 
hurt. 


TlIE  PROPHECIES.  95 

And  how  could  Balaam  upon  a  distant  view  only  of  a  peo- 
ple, whom  he  had  never  seen  or  known  before,  have  dis- 
covered the  genius  and  manners,  not  only  of  the  people 
then  living,  but  of  their  posterity  to  the  latest  genera- 
tions r  What  renders  it,  more  extraordinary,  is  the  singu- 
larity of  the  character,  that  they  should  ditl'er  from  all  the 
people  in  the  world,  and  should  dwell  by  themselves 
among  the  nations,  without  mixing  and  incorporating 
with  any.  The  time  too  when  this  was  affirmed  increases 
the  wonder,  it  being  before  the  people  were  well  known 
in  the  world,  before  their  religion  and  government  were 
established,  and  even  before  they  had  obtained  a  settle- 
ment any  where.  But  yet  that  the  character  was  fully 
verified  in  the  event,  not  only  all  history  testifies,  but  we 
have  even  occular  demonstration  at  this  day.  The  Jews 
in  their  religion  and  laws,  their  rites  and  ceremonies, 
their  manners  and  customs,  were  so  totally  different  from 
all  other  nations,  that  they  had  little  intercourse  or  com- 
munion with  them.  An  eminent  author  *  hath  shown, 
that  there  was  a  general  intercomm.unity  amongst  the 
gods  of  Paganism  ;  but  no  such  thing  was  allowed  be- 
tween the  God  of  Israel  and  the  gods  of  the  nations. 
There  was  to  be  no  fellowship  between  God  and  Belial, 
though  there  might  be  between  Belial  and  Dagon.  And 
hence  the  Jews  were  branded  for  their  inhumanity  and 
unsociableness  ;  and  they  as  generally  hated,  as  they  were 
hated  by  the  rest  of  mankind.  Other  nations,  the  con- 
querors and  the  conquered,  have  often  associated  and 
united  as  one  body  under  the  same  laws  ;  but  the  Jews  in 
their  captivities  have  commonly  been  more  bigotted  to 
tlieir  own  religion,  and  more  tenacious  of  their  own  rites 
and  customs,  than  at  other  times.  And  even  now,  while 
they  are  dispersed  among  all  nations,  they  yet  live  dis- 
tinct and  separate  from  all,  trading  only  with  others,  but 
eating,  marrying,  and  conversing  chiefly  among  them- 
selves. We  see  therefore  how  exactly  and  wonderfully 
Balaam  characterized  the  whole  race  from  the  first  to  the 
last,  when  he  said, '  Lo,  the  people  shall  dwell  alone,  and 
shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations.*     In  the  con- 

*  See  the  Divine  Legation  of  Moses.    Book  II.  Sect.  6,  and 
Book  V.  Sect.  2. 


9S  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

elusion  too  when  he  poured  forth  that  passionate  wish, 
^Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous,  and  let  my  last 
end  be  like  his,*  ver.  10,  he  had,  in  all  probability,  some 
forebodings  of  his  own  coming  to  an  untimely  end,  as  he 
really  did  afterwards,  being  slain  with  the  five  kings  of 
Midian  by  the  sword  of  Israel.     Numb.  xxxi.  8. 

After  the  second  sacrifice,  he  said  among  other  things, 
Numb.  xxii.  24,  '  Behold,  the  people  shall  rise  up  as  a 
great  lion,  and  lift  up  himself  as  a  young  lion  ;  he  shall 
not  lie  down  until  he  eat  of  the  prey,  and  drink  of  the^ 
blood  of  the  slain  :*  and  again  to  the  same  purpose,  after' 
the  third  sacrifice,  xxiv.  8,  9.  '  He  shall  eat  up  the  nations 
his  enemies,  and  shall  break  their  bones,  and  pierce  them 
through  with  his  arrows;  He  couched,  he  lay  down  as  a 
lion,  and  as  a  great  lion ;  who  shall  stir  him  up  ?  Blessed 
is  he  that  blesseth  thee,  and  cursed  is  he  that  curseth 
thee.'  Which  passages  are  a  manifest  prophecy  of  the 
victories  which  the  Israelites  should  gain  over  their  ene- 
mies, and  particularly  the  Canaanites,  and  of  their  secure 
possession  and  quiet  enjoyment  of  the  land  afterwards, 
and  particularly  in  the  reigns  of  David  and  Solomon.  It 
is  remarkable  too,  that  God  hath  here  put  into  the  mouth 
of  Balaam  much  the  same  things  which  Jacob  had  before 
predicted  of  Judah,  Gen.  xlix.  9.  *  Judah  is  a  lion's 
whelp  ;  from  the  prey,  my  son,  thou  art  gone  up  :  he 
stooped  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion,  and  as  an  old  lion ; 
who  shall  rouse  him  up  ?'  and  Isaac  had  predicted  of  Ja- 
cob, Gen.  xxvii.  29.  *  Cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth 
thee,  and  blessed  be  he  that  blesseth  thee  :*'  there  is 
such  analogy  and  harmony  between  the  prophecies  of 
scripture. 

At  the  same  time  Balaam  declared,  ver.  7,  <  His  king 
shall  be  higher  than  Agag,  and  his  kingdom  shall  be  ex- 
ulted.* Some  copies  have  Gog-  instead  of  ^gag^  which 
reading  is  embraced  by  the  authors  *  of  the  Universal 
History,  who  say  that,  "  as  the  Samaritan,  Septuagint, 
Syriac,  and  Arabic?  read  Go^  instead  of  ^ gag ^  and  Gog^ 
doth  generally  signify  the  Scythians  and  northern  nations, 
several  interpreters  have  preferred  this  latter  reading  to 

*  See  the  Universal  Hist.  Book  I,  Chap.  vii.  Sect.  2.  Vol.  I 
l^a^e  534.  Fol.  edit.  Note  Y. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  Qjr 

the  first,  and  not  without  good  grounds."  But  it  is  a 
mistake  to  say,  that  the  Syriac  and  Arabic  read  Gog':  it 
is  found  only  in  the  Samaritan  *  and  the  Septuagint,  and 
in  Symmachus  according  toGrotius:  the  Syriac  f  and 
Arabic  have  Jgag^^s  Avell  as  the  Targumof  Onkelos  and 
the  Vulgate,  though  this  latter  with  a  different  sense  and 
construction  of  the  words.  Neither  have  we  any  account 
that  Gog  was  a  famous  king  at  that  time,  and  much  less 
that  the  king  of  Israel  was  ever  exalted  above  him  :  and 
indeed  the  Scythians  and  northern  nations  lay  too  remote 
to  be  the  proper  subject  of  a  comparison.  The  reading 
of  the  Hebrew  copies,  his  king  shall  be  higher  than  Agag^ 
is  without  doubt  the  true  reading :  and  we  must  either 
suppose  that  Jigag  was  prophecied  of  by  name  particu- 
larly, as  Cyrus  and  Josiah  were  several  years  before  they 
were  born :  or,  we  must  with  Moses  Gerundensis,  |  a 
learned  Rabbi,  quoted  by  Munster,  that  Agag  was  the 
gene'ral  name  of  the  kings  of  Amalek,  which  appears  very 
probable,  it  being  the  custom  of  those  times  and  of  those 
countries,  to  give  one  certain  name  to  all  their  kings,  as 
Pharaoh  was  the  general  name  for  the  kings  of  Egypt, 
and  AbimeAech  for  the  kings  of  the  Philistines.  Amalek 
too  was  a  neighbouring  country,  and  therefore  is  fitly  in- 
troduced upon  the  present  occasion  :  and  it  was  likewise  at 
that  time  a  great  and  flourishing  kingdom,  for,  in  ver.  20. 

*  And  his  king  shall  be  exalted  above  Gog-.  See  the  Samari- 
tan version,  "  And  the  kingdom  of  Gog  shall  be  exalted."  See 
the  Septuagint.  "  And  his  kingdom  shall  be  exalted  above 
Gog."     See  Symmachus,  as  quoted  by  Grotius. 

t  "  He  shall  be  extolled  above  king  Agag,  and  his  kingdom 
shall  be  exalted."  See  the  Syriac  versicm.  "  More  than  Agag 
shall  his  king  be  exalted,  and  his  kingdom  shall  be  extolled." 
See  the  Arabic  version,  "  His  king  shall  be  strengthened  more 
than  Agag,  and  his  kingdom  shall  be  lifted  up."  See  the  version 
of  Onkelos.  *'  His  king  shall  be  taken  away  for  the  sake  of 
Agag,  and  his  kingdom  shall  be  removed."  See  the  Vulgate 
version. 

%  And  according  to  Moses  Gerundensis,  all  the  kings  of  the 
Amalckites  were  named  Agag.  For  the  name  of  the  first  king 
was  transferred  to  all  that  succeeded  him  in  the  throne  of  the 
kingdom  ;  as  all  the  Itoman  emperors  had  the  name  of  Caesar, 
from  Julius  Ctcsar,  the  first  who  arrived  at  this  dignity  among 
that  people.     See  Munster. 

VOL.  r.  I 


98  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

it  is  styled,  the  first  of  the  nations;  and  therefore,  for  the 
king  of  Israel  to  be  exalted  above  the  king  of  Amalek, 
'was  really  a  wonderful  exaltation.  But  wonderful  as  it 
was,  it  was  accomplished  by  Saul,  who  '  smote  the  Ama- 
iekites  from  Havilah,  until  thou  comtst  to  Shur,  that  is 
over  against  Egypt:  and  he  took  Agag  the  king  of  the 
Amalekites  alive,  and  utterly  destroyed  all  the  people 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword,'  1  Sam.  xv.  7,  8.  The  first 
king  of  Israel  subdued  Agag  the  king  of  the  Amalekites, 
so  that  it  might  truly  and  properly  be  said,  his  king  shall 
tie  higher  than  ^igag^  arid  his  kingdom  shall  be  exalted^  as 
it  was  afterwards  greatly  by  David  and  Solomon. 

His  latter  prophecies  Balaam  ushers  in  with  a  remarka- 
ble preface,  '  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  hath  said,  and  the 
man  whose  eyes  are  open,  hath  said  ;  He  hath  said,  which 
heard  the  words  of  God,  which  saw  the  vision  of  the  Al- 
mighty, falling  into  a  trance,  but  having  his  eyes  open,* 
ver.  3,  4,j  and  15,  16.  which  hath  occasioned  much  per- 
plexity and  confusion,  but  the  words  rightly  rendered, 
will  admit  of  an  easy  interpretation.  *  Balaam  the  son 
of  Beor  hath  said,  and  the  man  whose  eyes  are  open  hath 
said:*  It  should  be,  the  man  whose  eye  was  shut :  for  the 
word  shatam  is  used  only  here  and  in  Lamentations,  iii.  8. 
and  there  it  signifies  to  shut  ■  and  the  word  satam  which  is 
very  near  of  kin  to  it,  I  think,  hath  always  that  significa- 
tion. St,  Jerome  translates  it,  ciijiis  obturatis  est  ocidus  : 
and  in  the  margin  of  our  bibles  it  is  rendered,  who  had 
his  eijes  shut^  but  with  this  addition,  but  now  open.  It 
plainly  alludes  to  Balaam's  not  seeing  the  angel  of  the 
Lord,  at  the  same  time  that  the  ass  saw  him.  *  He  hath 
said,  which  heard  the  words  of  God,  which  saw  the  vision 
of  the  Almighty  ;'  for  in  this  story  we  read  several  times, 
that  '  God  came  unto  Balaam  and  said  unto  him  ;'  and 
possibly  he  might  aHude  to  former  revelations.  *  Falling 
into  a  trance,  but  having  his  eyes  open  ;'  in  the  original 
there  is  no  mention  of  a  trance  ;  the  passage  should  be 
rendered,  fallivg  uvA  his  eves  were  oficned^  alluding  to 
what  happened  in  the  way,  to  Balaam's  falling  with  his 
falling  ass,  and  then  having  his  eyes  opened  :  '  And  when 
the  ass  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord,  she  fell  down  under 
Balaam.  Then  the  Lord  opened  the  eyes  of  Balaam, 
aiid  he  saw  the  angel  of  the  Lord  standing  in  the  way, 


TIIE  PROPHECIES.  99 

and  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand ;  and  he  bowed  down 
his  head,  and  fell  flat  on  his  face,'  xxii.  27,  8cc.  A  con- 
trast is  intended  between  havin^j  his  eyes  shut^  and  having 
his  eyes  ofiened ;  the  one  answers  to  the  other.  The 
design  of  this  preface  was  to  excite  attention  :  and  so 
Balaam  proceeds  to  advertise  Balak  nhac  thin  Jicofile 
should  do  to  his  fieo/ile  in  the  latter  daijs,  by  which  phrase 
it  meant  the  time  to  come,  be  it  more  or  less  remote. 

He  begins  with  what  more  immediately  concerns  the 
Moabites,  the  people  to  whom  he  is  speaking,  ver  17, 
18,  19.  '1  shall  see  him,  but  not  now,  I  shall  behold  him, 
but  not  nii!;h  ;*  or  rather,  I  see  hiniy  but  not  now  ;  I  be- 
hold him-)  but  not  nigh  ;  the  future  tense  in  Hebrew  being 
often  used  for  the  present.  He  saw  with  the  eyes  of 
prophecy,    and    prophets    are  emphatically  styled  s(  fvs. 

*  There  shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  sceptre  shall 
rise  out  of  Israel.'  The  star  and  the  sceptre  are  proba- 
bly metaphors  borrowed  from  the  ancient  hieroglyphics, 
which  much  influenced  the  language  of  the  east :  and 
they  evidently  denote  some  eminent  and  illustrious  king 
or  ruler,  whom  he  particularizes  in  the  following  words. 

*  And  shall  smite  the  corners  of  Moab,'  or  the  /irinces  of 
Moab^  according  to  other  versions.  This  was  executed 
by  David,  for  •  he  smote  Moab,  and  measured  them 
with  a  line,  casting  them  down  to  the  ground :  even  with 
two  lines  measured  he,  to  put  to  death;  and  with  one 
full  line,  to  keep  alive :'  that  is,  he  destroyed  two  thirds, 
and  saved  one  third  alive:  '  and  so  the  Moabites  becauic 
David's  servants,  and  brought  gilts,'  2  Sam.  viii.  2. 

'  And  destroy  all  the  children  of  Sheth.'  If  by  Sheth, 
was  meant  the  son  of  Adam,  then  all  the  children  of  Sheth 
are  all  mankind,  the  posterity  of  Cain  and  Adam's  other 
sons  having  all  perished  in  the  deluge,  and  the  line  only 
of  Sheth  having  been  preserved  in  Noah  and  his  family ; 
but  it  is  very  harsh  to  say,  that  any  king  of  Israel  would 
destroy  all  m*ankind,  and  therefore  the  Syriac  *  and  Chal- 
dee  soften  it,  that  he  shall  sjibdue  all  the  sons  of  Sheth, 
and  rule  over  all  the  sons  of  men.     The  word  occurs 


*  **  And  he  shall  subjug-ate  all  the  ciiildren  of  Setb."  See 
the  Syriac  version.  "And  he  shall  rule  over  all  the  children  of 
men."     See  the  ChulJce, 


100  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

only  in  this  place,  and  in  Isaiah  xxii.  5.  where  it  is  used 
m  the  sense  oi  breaking-  doivn  or  destroying .-  and  as  par- 
ticular places,  Moab  and  Kdoni,  are  mentioned  both  be- 
fore and  after ;  so  it  is  reasonable  to  conclude,  that  not 
all  mankind  in  general,  but  some  particular  persons  were 
intended  by  the  expression  of  the  sons  of  Sheih.  The 
Jerusalem  Targum  *  translates  it,  the  srms  of  the  east,  the 
Moabites  lying  east  of  Judea.  Rabbi  Nathan  t  says, 
that  Sheth  is  the  name  of  a  city  in  the  border  of  Moab. 
Grotius  imagines  t  Sheth  to  be  the  name  of  some  famous 
king  among  the  Moabites.  Our  Poole,  who  is  a  judici- 
ous and  useful  commentator,  says,  that  Sheth  "  seems 
to  be  the  name  of  some  then  eminent,  though  now  un- 
known, place  or  prince  in  Moab,  where  there  were  many- 
princes,  as  appears  from  Numb,  xxiii.  6.  Amos  ii.  3^. 
there  being  innumerable  instances  of  such  places  or  per- 
sons sometimes  famous,  but  now  utterly  lost  as  to  all 
monuments  and  remembrances  of  them."  Vitringa,  in 
ills  commentary  upon  Isaiah,  conceives,  §  that  the  Idu- 
nieans  were  intended,  the  word  Sheth,  signifying  a/own- 
datioji,  OY  for tifed  f dace •>  because  they  trusted  greatly  in 
iheir  castles  and  fortifications.  But  the  Idumeans  are 
mentioned  afterwards  ;  and  it  is  probable,  that  as  two 
hemistichs  relate  to  them,  two  also  relate  to  the  Moab- 
ites ;  and  the  reason  of  the  appellation  assigned  by  Vi- 
tringa, is  as  proper  to  the  Moabites  as  to  the  Idumeans. 
It  is  common  in  the  style  of  the  Hebrews,  and  especially 
in  the  poetic  parts  of  scripture,  and  we  may   observe  it 

•  Hence  the  Jerusalem  paraphrast  rendereth  it,  the  children 
of  the   Moabites  dwelt  on  the  east  of  Judea.     See  Le  Clerc. 

f  Kabbi  Nathan  saith,  tiiat  Seth  was  a  city  in  the  confines  of 
Moab.     See  Lira  and  Drusius. 

i  Nothing  is  more  probable,  than  tliat  Seth  was  some  distin- 
tjuishcd  king  among  the  Moabites,     See  Grotius. 

§  1  am  fully  persuaded  that  the  word  •  karkar.'  in  the  speech 
»)f  Balaam,  signifies  destruction,  overthroiv,  devastation,  but  [ 
■im  in  some  doubt  about  the  phrase,  the  children  of  Seth,  whom 
•*Vom  the  circumstance  of  the  place,  I  imagine  to  have  been 
Idumeans.  For  I  think  that  the  word  Seth,  ought  to  be  under- 
^jlood  appellatively,  as  signifying  in  general,  a  foundation  or 
tortificd  place,  because  the  Idumeans  placed  the  greatest  trust 
in  their  castles  and  fortifications.  See  ^'itringa's  Commentary 
on  Isaiah  xxii.  5.  page  611.  ^  ol.  I. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  101 

particularly  in  these  prophecies  of  Balaam,  that  the  same 
thing  in  eftect  is  repeated  in  other  words,  and  the  latter 
member  of  each  period  is  excgetical  of  the  former,  as 
in  the  passage  before  us  ;  'I  see  him,  but  not  now ;  I 
behold  him  but  not  nigh :'  and  then  again,  '  there  shall 
come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  and  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of 
Israel:'  and  again  afterwards,  *  And  Edom  shall  be  a 
possession,  Seir  also  shall  be  a  possession  for  his  ene- 
mies.' There  is  great  reason  therefore  to  think,  that 
the  same  manner  of  speaking  was  continued  here,  and 
consequently  that  Shcth  must  be  the  name  of  some  emi- 
nent place  or  person  among  the  Moabites ;  '  and  shall 
smite  the  princes  of  Moab,  and  destroy  all  the  sons  of 
Sheth.' 

'  And  Edom  shall  be  a  possession.'  This  was  also 
fulfilled  by  David  ;  for  *  he  put  garrisons  in  Edom ; 
throughout  all  Edom  put  he  garrisons,  and  all  they  of 
Edom  became  David's  servants,'  2  Sam.  viii.  14.  Da- 
vid himself  in  two  of  his  psalms,  hath  mentioned  to- 
gether his  conquest  of  Moab  and  Edom,  as  they  are  also 
joined  together  in  this  prophecy  ;  '  Moab  is  my  wash 
pot,  over  Edom  will  I  cast  out  my  shoe,'  Psal.  Ix.  8, 
cviii.  9,  '  Seir  also  shall  be  a  possession  for  his  enemies/ 
that  is,  for  the  Israelites.  Seir  is  the  name  of  the  moun- 
tains of  Edom,  so  that  even  their  mountains  and  fast- 
nesses could  not  defend  the  Idumeans  from  David  and 
his  captains.  '•  And  Israel  shall  do  valiantly,'  as  they 
did  particularly  under  the  com.mand  of  David,  several 
of  whose  victories  are  recorded  in  this  same  8th  chap- 
ter of  the  2d  book  of  Samuel,  together  with  his  conquest 
of  Moab  and  of  Edom.  <  Out  of  Jacob  shall  come  he  that 
shall  have  dominion,  and  shall  destroy  him  that  rem.ain- 
eth  of  the  city  ;'  not  only  to  defeat  them  in  the  field,  but 
destroy  them  even  in  their  strongest  cities,  or  per- 
haps,  some  particular  city  was  intended,  as  Me  may  in- 
fer from  Psal.  Ix.  9.  cviii.  10.  *  Who  will  bring  me 
into  the  strong  city  ?  who  will  lead  me  into  Edom  ?'  And 
"we  read  particularly  that  Joab,  David's  general,  '  smote 
every  male  in  Edom  :  for  six  months  did  Joab  reniain 
there  with  all  Israel,  until  he  had  cut  off  every  male  in 
Edom,'   1  Kings  xi.   15,  16. 

We  see  how  exactly  this  prophecy  hath  been  fulfilled 


102  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

in  the  person  and  actions  of  David  ;  but  most  Jewish,  as 
■well  as  Christian  writers,  apply  it,  primarily  perhaps  to 
David,  but  ultimately  to  the  Messiah,  as  the  person 
chiefly  intended,  in  whom  it  was  to  receive  its  full  and 
entire  completion.  Onkelos,  who  is  the  most  ancient 
and  valuable  of  the  Chaldee  paraphrasts,  interprets  it  of 
the  Messiah.  "  When  a  prince,"*  says  he,  ''  shall 
arise  of  the  house  of  Jacob,  and  Christ  shali  be  anointed 
of  the  house  of  Israel,  he  shall  both  slay  the  princes  of 
Moab,  and  rule  over  all  the  sons  of  men  :"  and  with  him 
agree  the  Targums  or  paraphrases.  Alaimonides,  who 
is  one  of  the  most  learned  and  famous  of  the  Jewish 
Doctors,  understands  it  partly  of  David,  and  partly  of 
the  Messiah  :  and  with  him  agree  other  rabbies,  whom 
you  may  find  cited  by  the  critics  and  commentators  to 
this  purpose.  It  appears  to  have  been  generally  under- 
stood by  the  Jews,  as  a  prophecy  of  the  Messiah,  be- 
cause the  false  Christ,  who  appeared  in  the  reign  of  the 
Roman  emperor  Adrian,  assumed  t  the  title  of  Barcho- 
chcbas^  or  tlic  so7i  of  the  star^  in  allusion  to  this  prophecy, 
and  in  order  to  have  it  believed  that  he  was  the  star 
whom  Balaam  had  seen  afar  off.  The  Christian  fathers, 
1  think,  are  unanimous  in  applying  this  prophecy  to  our 
Saviour,  and  to  the  star  which  appeared  at  his  nativity. 
Origen  in  particular  saith,  that  +  in  the  law  there  ai:e 
many  typical  and  enigmatical  references  to  the  Messiah: 
but  he  produccth  this  as  one  of  the  plainest  and  clearest 
of  prophecies :  and  both  Origen  §  and  Eusebius  affirm, 

•  "Wlien  a  k\ng  of  the  house  of  Jacob  shall  arise,  and  Christ 
of  the  house  of  Israel  shall  be  anointed ;  he  shall  both  kill  the 
princes  of  Moab,  and  bear  rule  over  all  the  children  of  men. — 
See  Onkelos. 

f  See  Rasnage's  History  of  tlie  Jews,  Book  6.  Chapter  ix. 
Sect.  12. 

i  Wherefore,  although  in  the  lav/,  there  may  be  found  many 
things,  which  typically  and  enigmatically  have  a  reference  to 
Christ,  yet  at  present,  I  can  think  of  none,  which  more  plainly 
rind  manifestly  have  an  allusion  to  him,  than  the  one  now  be- 
fore us. 

§  See  Origen  against  Celsus,  Book  IX.  Sect.  60.  page  374, 
of  V^ol.  I.  See  his  thirteenth  homily  on  the  book  of  Numbers, 
Sect.  7.  page  321,  of  the  Benedictine  edition.  See  Eusebi\is' 
Evangelical  Demonstration,  Book  IX.  >ScQt.  1.  page  417,  of  the 
edition  published  at  Paris  in  J.C28. 


THE  rUOPIIECIES.  103 

that  it  was  in  consequence  of  Balaam's  prophecies,- 
which  were  known  and  believed  in  the  east,  tliat  the 
!Magi,  upon  tiie  appearance  ot"  a  new  star,  came  to  Je- 
rusalem to  worship  him  who  was  born  king  of  the  Jews. 
The  stream  of  modern  divines  and  commentators  run- 
neth the  same  way,  that  is,  they  apply  the  prophecy 
principally  to  our  Saviour,  and  by  Moab  and  EcloiHy  un- 
derstand the  enemies  and  persecutors  of  the  church. 
And  it  must  be  acknowledged  in  favour  of  this  opinion, 
that  many  prophecies  of  scripture  have  a  double  mean- 
ing, literal  and  mystical,  respect  two  events,  and  receive 
a  two-fold  completion.  David  too  was  in  several  things 
a  type  and  figure  of  the  Messiah.  If  by  dcsCrcying  alt 
the  children  of  Shelh^  be  meant,  ruling  over  all  mankind^ 
this  w  as  never  fulfilled  in  David.  A  star  did  really  ap- 
pear at  our  Saviour's  nativity,  and  in  Scripture,  he  is 
styled  Xh^  day-star,  2  Pet  i.  19.  tlie  moniing-atar^  Rev. 
ii.  28.  the  bright  and  morning-star,  xxii.  16.  perhaps 
in  allusion  to  this  very  prophecy.  Dr.  Warburton,  who 
improves  every  subject  that  he  handles,  assigns  a  farther 
reason.  Speaking  of  the  two  sorts  of  metaphor  in  the 
ancient  use  of  it,  the  popular  and  common,  and  the  hid- 
den and  mysterious  ;  he  says  *  that  ^'  the  prophetic  writ- 
ings are  full  of  this  kind  of  metaphor.  To  instance  only 
in  the  famous  prediction  of  Balaam — there  shall  come  a 
star  out  oj  Jacob,  and  a  scefitre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel. 
This  prophecy  may  possibly  in  some  sense  relate  to  Da- 
vid, but  without  doubt)  it  belongs  principally  to  Chi  ist. 
Here  the  metaphor  of  a  scejitre  was  common  and  popu- 
lar to  denote  a  ruler,  like  David ;  but  the  star,  though 
like  the  other,  it  signified  in  the  prophetic  writings,  a 
temporal  prince  or  ruler,  yet  had  a  secret  and  hidden 
meaning  likewise.  A  star  in  the  Egyptian  hieroglyphics, 
denoted  God  if  (and  how  much  hieroglyphic  writing 
influenced  the  eastern  languages,  we  shall  see  presently.) 
Thus  God,  in  the  prophet  Amos,  reproving  the  Israel- 
ites for  their  idolatry  on  their  first  coming  out  of  Egypt, 
:Says,  Have  yc  offered  unto  me  sacrifices  and  offerings  in 

*  See  the  Divine  Leg'alion,  &c.  Book  IV.  Sect.  4. 
-j-  A  painte<l  star  was  employed  by  the  Egyptians  to  denote 
God.     See  Horapol.  Hierog-.  Book  11.  Chap.  i. 


104  DISSEIITATIONS  ON 

the  wilderness  forty  years,  O  house  of  Israel  P  Bui  yr 
have  borne  the  taOdrriacle  of  your  Moloch  and  Chiun  your 
images,,  the  star  of  your  God  which  ye  made  to  yourselves, 
Amos  V.  15,  26.  the  star  of  your  God,  is  here  a  noble 
figurative  expression  to  sit^nlfy  the  image  of  your  God  ; 
for  a  star,  being  employed  in  the  hieroglyphics  to  signify 
God,  it  is  used  here  with  great  elegance  to  signify  the 
material  image  of  a  God;  the  words,  :/if  star  of  your  God^ 
being  only  a  repetition  (so  usual  in  the  Hebrew  tongue) 
of  the  preceding — China  your  ir/iugts;  and  not  (as  some 
critics  sup[)Ose)  the  same  with  your  God  Star,  sidus 
Deu/n  vestrum.  Hence  we  conclude,  that  the  metaphor 
here  used  by  Balaam  of  a  star,  was  of  that  abstruse  mys- 
terious kind,  and  so  to  be  understood ;  and  conseciuently 
that  it  related  only  to  Chrif:t,  the  eternal  Son  of  God." 
Thus  far  this  excellent  writer.  But  though  for  these 
reasons  the  Messiah  might  be  remotely  intended,  yet  we 
cannot  allow  that  he  was  intended  solely,  because,  David 
might  be  called  a  star  by  Balaam,  as  well  as  other  rulers 
or  governors  are  by  Daniel,  viii.  10.  and  by  St.  John, 
Rev.  i.  20.  and  we  must  insist  upon  it,  that  the  primary 
intention,  the  literal  meaning  of  the  prophecy  respects 
the  person  and  actions  of  David  ;  and  for  this  reason  par- 
ticularly, because  Balaam  is  here  advertising  Balak, 
'  What  this  people  should  do  to  his  people  in  the  latter 
days,'  that  is,  what  the  Israelites  should  do  to  the  Moab- 
ites  hereafter. 

From  the  Moabites  he  turned  his  eyes  more  to  the 
south  and  west,  and  looked  on  their  neighbours;  the  Ama- 
lekites  ;  and  "  took  up  his  parable,  and  said,'  ver.  20. 
*  Amalek  was  the  first  of  the  nations,  but  his  latter  end 
shall  be  tliat  he  perish  for  ever.  Amalek  was  the  first  of 
the  nations,'  the  first  and  most  powerful  of  the  neigh- 
bouring nations,  or  the  first  thrit  warretl  against  Israel, 
as  it  is  in  the  margin  of  our  bibles.  The  latter  interpre- 
tation is  proposed  by  Onkelos  *  and  other  Jews,  I  suppose 
because  they  would  not  allow  the  Amalekites  to  be  a  more 
ancient  nation  than  themselves:  but  most  good  critics 
prefer  the  former  interpretation  as  more  easy  and  natural, 
and  for  a  very  good  reason,  because  the  Amalekites  appear 

*  The  wars  of  Israel  commtnced  with  Amalek.    See  Oakclos. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  105 

to  have  been  a  very  ancient  nation.  They  arc  reckoned 
among  the  most  ancient  nations  thereabouts,  1  vSam.  xxvii. 
8.  '  the  Geshurites,  and  the  Gezriles,  and  the  Amalekites  ; 
for  these  nations  were  of  old  the  inhabitants  of  the  land, 
as  thou  goest  to  Shur,  even  unto  the  land  of  Egypt.* 
They  are  mentioned  as  early  as  in  the  wars  of  Chedor- 
laomer  :  Gen.  xiv.  7.  so  that  they  must  have  been  a  na- 
tion before  the  times  of^Abraham  and  Lot,  and  conse- 
quently much  older  than  the  Moabites,  or  Edomites,  or 
any  of  the  nations  descended  from  those  patriarchs.  And 
this  is  a  demonstrative  argument,  that  the  Amalekites  did 
not  descend  from  Amalek,  the  son  of  Eliphuz  and  grand- 
son of  Esau,  as  many  have  supposed  only  from  the  simi- 
litude of  names;  Gen.  xxxvi.  12.  but  sprung  from  some 
other  stock,  and  probably,  as  the  Arabian  writers  affirm 
from  Amalek  or  Amlak,  the  son  of  Ham  and  grandson 
of  Noah.  "  Ajnlak  et  Amlik^  fils  de  Cham,  fils  de  Noe — 
C'est  celuy  que  les  liebreux  appellent  Amelec  pere  des 
Amalecites:"  so  saith  Herbelot ;  but  it  is  to  be  wished 
that  this  valuable  and  useful  author  had  cited  his  autho- 
rities. According  to  the  Arabian  historians  *  too,  they 
were  a  great  and  powerful  nation,  subdued  Egypt,  and 
held  it  in  subjection  several  years.  They  must  certainly 
have  been  more  powerful,  or  at  least  more  courageous, 
than  the  neighbouring  nations,  because  they  ventured  to 
attack  the  Israelites,  of  whom  the  other  nations  were 
afraid.  But  though  they  were  the  first,  the  most  ancient 
and  powerful  of  the  neighbouring  nations ;  yet  'their  lat- 
ter end  shall  be  that  they  perish  for  ever.'  Here  llaiaam 
unwittingly  confirms  what  God  had  before  denounced  by 
Moses,  Exod.  xvii.  14.  *  And  the  Lord  said  unto  Moses, 
Write  this  for  a  memorial  in  a  book,  and  rehearse  it  in 
the  ears  of  Joshua,  for  I  will  (or  rather,  that  I  vAll)  ut- 
terly put  out  the  remembrance  of  Amalek  from  under 
heaven.'  Balaam  had  before  declared,  that  the  king  of 
Israel  should  prevail  over  the  king  of  Amalek  ;  but  here 
the  menace  is  carried  farther,  and  Amalek  is  consigned 
to  utter  destruction.  This  sentence  was  in  great  mea- 
sure executed  by  Saul,  who  '  smote  the  Amalekites,   and 

*  See  Universal  History,  Cook  I.  Chap.  3,  page  281,  of  Vol. 
I,  in  the  Folio  edition. 


106  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

utterly  destroyed  all  the  people  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,* 
1  Sam  XV.  7,  8.  When  they  had  recovered  a  little, 
'David  and  his  men  went  up  and  invaded  them;  and 
David  smote  the  land,  and  left  neither  man  nor  woman 
alive,  and  took  away  the  sheep  and  the  oxen,  and  the  asses, 
and  the  camels-  and  the  apparel,'  1  Sam.  xxvii  8,  9.  Da- 
vid made  a  farther  slaughter  and  conquest  of  them  at 
Ziklag  :  I  Sam.  xx;;.  and  at  last,  '  the  sons  of  Simeon,  in 
the  days  of  Hezekiah  king  of  Jiidah,  smote  the  rest  of 
the  Amalekites  that  were  escaped,  and  dwelt  in  their 
habitations,'  I  Chron.  iv.  41,  42,  43.  And  where  is  the 
name  or  the  nation  of  Amalek  subsisting  at  this  day  ? 
What  history,  what  tradition  concerning  them  is  remain- 
ln;-2;  any  where  ?  They  are  but  just  enough  known  and 
remembered  to  show,  that  wliat  God  had  threatened,  he 
hath  punctually  fulnlled;  'I  will  utterly  put  out  the  re- 
membrance of  Amalek  from  under  heaven  ;  and  his  latter 
end  shall  be,  that  he  perish  for  ever/ 

Then  '  he  looked  on  the  Kenites  :  and  took  up  his  pa- 
rable, and  said,'  ver.  2  1,  22.  '  strong  is  thy  dwelling  place, 
and  thou  puttest  thy  nest  in  a  rock.  Nevertheless  the 
Kenite  shall  be  wasted,  until  Ashur  shall  carry  thee  away 
captive.'  Commentators  are  perplexed,  and  much  at  a 
loss,  to  say  with  any  certainty  who  thtHf  Kenitts  were. 
There  avQ  ICevites  mentioned,  Gen.  xv.  19.  among  the 
Canaanitish  nations,  v.'hose  land  was  promised  unto  Abra- 
ham ;  and  Le  Clerc  *  imagines,  that  those  Kenites  were 
the  people  here  intended :  But  the  Canaanitish  nations 
are  not  the  subject  of  Balaam's  prophecies  ;  and  the  Ca- 
naanitish nations  were  to  be  rooted  out,  but  these  Kenites 
were  to  continue  as  long  as  the  Israelites  themselves,  and 
to  be  carried  captive  M'ith  them  by  the  Assyrians;  and  in 
the  opinion  of  Bochart,t  those  Kenites  as  well  as  the  Ke- 

*  Here  these  more  ancient  Kenites  arc  to  be  understood.  See 
Le  Clerc  on  the  pas.sag-e. 

f  I  um  of  opinion,  that  their  names  perished  in  that  period, 
which  Intei'vened,  bcluoen  the  times  of  Abruhum  and  of  Moses. 
This  Iiowever  is  certain,  tliat  their  name  was  imknown  to  Jo- 
sluia.  At  least  in  hisdlvisionof  the  land,  and  in  his  enumeration 
of  the  nations  subdued  by  tlie  Israelites,  he  no  where  makes  men- 
tion  of  it.  See  liochui't's  rhalcii*,  Bouk  IV.  ChuP.  xx.\.vi.  Col 
397. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  107 

nizzites  became  extinct  in  the  interval  of  time  which 
passed  between  Abraham  and  Moses,  being  not  mention- 
ed by  Joshua  in  the  division  of  the  land,  nor  reckoned 
among-  the  nations  conoiiert-d  by  him.  The  most  proba- 
ble account  oi  these  Ke7iin\Sy  I  conceive  to  be  this.  Jethro, 
the  father-in-law  of  Moses,  is  called  in  one  place,  the 
priest  ofMidian^  Exod.  iii.  1.  and  in  another,  the  Kniite, 
Judg'.  i.  16.  We  may  infer  therefore,  that  the  AJidian- 
ites  and  the  Kenites  were  the  same,  or  at  least,  that  the 
Kciiites  were  some  of  the  tribes  of  Midian.  'J'he  Midian- 
ites  are  said  to  be  confederates  with  the  Moabites  in  the 
beginning  of  the  story,  and  the  elders  of  Midian  as  well 
as  the  elders  of  Moab,  invited  Balaam  to  come  and  curse 
Israel ;  and  one  would  naturally  expect  some  notice  to 
be  taken  of  them  or  their  tribes  in  the  course  of  these 
prophecies.  Now  of  the  Kenites,  it  appears,  that  part 
followed  Israel :  Judg.  i.  1 6.  but  the  greater  part,  we  may 
presume,  remained  among  the  Midianites  and  Amale- 
kites  We  read  in  1  Sam.  xv.  6,  that  there  were  Kenites 
dwelling  among  the  Amalekites,  and  so  the  Kenites  are 
fitly  mentioned  here  next  after  the  Amalekites  Their 
situation  is  said  to  be  strong  and  secure  among  the  moun- 
tains, '  Strong  is  thy  dwelling-place,  and  thou  puttest  thy 
nest  in  a  rock  ;*  wherein  is  an  allusion  to  the  name,  the 
same  word  in  Hebiew  signifying  a  nest  and  a  Kenite. 
*  Nevertheless  the  Kenite  shall  be  wasted,  until  Ashur 
carry  thee  away  captive.'  The  Amalekites  were  to  be 
utterly  destroyed,  but  the  Kenites  were  to  be  carried  cap- 
tive. And  accordingly  when  Saul  was  sent  by  divine 
commission  to  destroy  the  Amalekites,  he  ordered  the 
Kenites  to  depart  from  among  them.  1  Sam.xv.  6.  'And 
Saul  said  unto  the  Kenites,  Go,  depart,  get  you  down  from 
among  the  Amalekites,  lest  I  destroy  you  with  them  :  for 
ye  shewed  kindness  to  all  the  children  of  Israel  when  they 
came  up  out  of  Egypt ;'  for  the  kindness  which  some  of 
them  shewed  to  Israel,  their  posterity  was  saved.  '  So 
the  Kenites  departed  from  among  the  Amalekites.'  This 
showeth  that  they  were  nvasted^  and  reduced  to  a  low  and 
weak  condition  ;  and  as  the  kings  of  Assyria  carried  cap- 
tive not  only  the  Jcvs,  but  also  the  Syrians,  2  Kings  xvi. 
9.  and  several  other  nations,  2  Kings  xix.l2,  13.  it  is  most 
highly  probable,  that  the  Kenites  shared  the  same  fate 


108  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

with  their  neighbours,  and  were  carried  away  by  the  same 
torrent ;  and  especially  as  we  find  some  Kenites  men- 
tioned among  the  Jews  after  their  return  from  captivity. 
1  Chron.  ii.  55. 

The  next  verse,  ver.  23.  '  And  he  took  up  his  parable, 
and  said,  Alas,  who  shall  live  when  God  doeth  this  '.'  is 
by  several  commentators  referred  lo  what  precedes,  b\it 
it  relates  rather  to  what  follows,  '  And  he  took  up  his 
parable,  and  said  :'  this  preface  is  U!?ed,  when  he  enters 
upon  some  new  subject.  '  Alas,  who  shall  live  when  God 
doeth  this  I'  this  exclamation  implies,  that  he  is  now  pro- 
phecying  of  very  distant  and  very  calamitous  times,  ^nd 
Shifis^  or  rather/or  Shi^is,  as  the  particle  vau  often  signi- 
fies, and  this  instance  among  others  is  cited  by  Noldius.* 
'  For  ships  shall  com.e  from  the  coast  of  Chittim,  and 
shall  afflict  Ashur,and  shall  afflict  Eber,  and  he  also  shall 
perish  for  ever,'  ver.  24. 

Chittim  was  one  of  the  sons  of  Javan,  who  was  one  of  the 
sons  of  Japheth,  by  whose  posterity  the  isies  of  the  Gen- 
tiles^ Gen.  X.  5.  ivere  divided  and  peopled,  that  is  Europe, 
and  the  countries  to  which  the  Asiatics  passed  by  sea,  for 
such  the  Hebrews  called  islands.  Chitiim  is  used  for  the 
descendants  of  Chittim,  as  Ashur  is  put  for  the  descend- 
ants of  Ashur,  that  is  the  Assyrians :  but  what  people 
were  the  descendants  of  Chittim^  or  what  country  was 
meant  by  the  coasts  of  Chittim^  it  is  not  so  easy  to  deter- 
mine.— The  critics  and  commentators  are  generally  di- 
vided into  two  opinions,  the  one  asserting  that  Macedonia, 
and  the  other  that  Italy  was  the  country  her6  intended : 
and  each  opinion  is  recommended  and  authorised  by  some 
of  the  first  and  greatest  names  in  learning  ;  as  not  to  men- 
tion any  others,  Grotius  and  Le  Clerc  t  contend  for  the 
former,  Bochart  and  Vitringa  \  are  strenuous  for  the  lat- 
ter. But  there  is  no  reason  why  we  nay  not  adopt  both 
opinions;  and  especially  as  it  is  very  well  known  and 
agreed  on  all  hands,  that  colonies  came  from  Greece  to 

*  See  Noldius  on  the  Hebrew  particle,  ver.  o7' 

\  See  Grotius  and  Le  Clerc  on  the  passage,  as  also  upon  Gen. 

X.  4. 

t  See  Dochart's  Phaleg,  Book  III.  Chap.  v.    And  Vitringa  on 

Isa.  xxiii.  1. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  109 

italy  ;  and  as  Josephus  *  saith,  that  all  islands  and  most 
maritime  places  are  called  Chethem  by  the  Hebrews  ;  and 
as  manifest  traces  of  the  name  are  to  be  found  in  both 
countries  •  the  ancient  name  of  Macedonia  having  been 
Macfttia^\  and  the  Latins  having  before  been  called  CV- 
tii.  What  appears  most  probable  is,  that  the  sons  of 
Chittim  settled  first  in  Asia  Minor,  where  were  a  people 
called  Ceti'i^  and  a  river  called  Cetium^  according  to  Ho- 
mer and  Strabo.:}:  From  Asia  they  might  pass  over  into 
the  island  of  Cyprus,  which  Josephus  §  saith  was  possessed 
by  Chethim^  and  called  Cliethima  ;  and  where  was  also  the 
city  Cittium,  famous  for  being  the  birth-place  of  Zeno, 
the  founder  of  the  sect  of  the  Stoics,  who  was  therefore 
called  the  Cittean.  And  from  thence  they  might  send 
forth  colonies  into  Greece  and  Italy.  This  plainly  ap- 
pears, that  wherever  the  layid  of  C/iittim  or  the  islfs  of 
Chittim  are  mentioned  in  scripture,  there  are  evidently 
meant  some  countries  or  islands  in  the  Mediterranean. 

Isaiah  prophecying  of  the  destruction  of  Tyre  by  Ne- 
buchadnezzar .jsaith,  xxiii.  1. '  Howl,  ye  ships  of  Tarshish,' 
that  is,  the  ships  trading  from  Tyre  to  Tartessus  in 
Spain  ;  *  for  Tyre  is  laid  waste :  from  the  land  of  Chit- 
tim it  is  revealed  to  them  ;'  the  news  is  brought  first  to 
the  countries  and  islands  in  the  Mediterranean,  and  from 
thence  it  is  conveyed  to  Spain  ;  and  afterwards,  ver.  12. 
'  Arise,  pass  over  to  Chittim,  there  also  shait  thou  have 
no  rest ;'  the  inhabitants  might  fly  from  Tyre,  and  pass 
over  to  the  countries  and  islands  in  the  Mediterranean, 
but  even  there  they  should  find  no  secure  place  of  refuge  ; 
Cod's  judgments  should  still  pursue  them.  Jeremiah 
expostulating  with  the  Jews  concerning  their  causeless 

*  And  from  it  (namely  Chittim)  every  island,  and  almost  every 
place  on  the  sea  coast,  is  by  the  Hebrews  called  Chittim.  See 
Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  I.  Chap,  vi,  in  the  17  page  of  Hud- 
son's edition,  Vol.  1. 

t  See  Bochart  in  the  place  above  quoted. 

+  See  Homer's  Odyssey,  Book  XII.  Line  520,  and  the  Sclio- 
liast  upon  it.  See  also  Slrabo's  Geography,  Book  XUl.  pages^ 
915,  916,  in  the  second  Volume  of  the  Amsterdam  edition  of 
1707. 

§  But  Chettim  possessed  the  island  of  Chittima,  which  is  new 
called  Cyprus.    See  Josephus  in  the  place  above  quoted. 

VCL.  I,  K 


ilO  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

revolt,  saitli,  ii.  10.  ^  Pass  over  to  the  isles  of  Ciiittim,  and 
see,'  that  is,  the  isles  in  the  IVlediterranean  "vvhich  lay 
•westward  of  Judea  ;  *  and  send  unto  Kedar,'  which  was 
in  Arabia  and  lay  eastward  of  Judea  ;  'and  consider  dili- 
gently, and  see  if  there  be  such  a  thing;'  go  search  east 
and  west,  and  see  if  you  can  find  any  such  instance  of 
apostacy  as  this  of  the  Jews.  Ezekiel  describing  the  lux- 
'iry  of  the  Tyrians  even  in  their  shipping,  saith,  xxvii.  6. 
ic cording  to  the  true  reading  *  and  interpretation  of  the 
words,  *  they  made  their  benches  of  ivory  inlaid  on  box, 
brought  out  of  the  isles  of  Chittim^'  that  is,  out  of  the 
isles  of  the  Mediterranean,  and  most  probably  from  Cor- 
sica, which  was  famous  above  all  places  for  box,  as  Bo- 
chart  hath  proved  by  the  testimonies  of  Pliny,  Theo- 
phrastus,  and  Diodorus.  Daniel  foretelling  the  exploits 
of  Antiochus  Epiphanes,  saith,  xi.  29,  30.  that  he  should 
'  come  towards  the  south,'  that  is,  invade  Egypt,  <•  but  the 
ships  of  Chittim  shall  come  against  him,  therefore  he  shall 
be  grieved  and  return  :'  the  ships  of  Chittim  can  be  none 
other  than  the  ships  of  the  Romans,  whose  ambassadors! 
coming  from  Italy  to  Greece,  and  from  thence  to  Alex- 
andria, obliged  Antiochus,  to  his  great  grief  and  disap- 
pointment, to  depart  from  Egypt  without  accomplishing 
his  designs.  The  author  of  the  first  book  of  Maccabees, 
speaking  oi  Alexander  son  of  Philiji  the  Macedonian,,  saith, 
1,  i.  that  he  came  out  of  the  land  of  Chittim:  and  after- 
wards, viii.  5.  Perseus^  the  last  king  of  Macedon,  he 
calleth  king  of  the  Cittirns.  By  these  instances  it  appears, 
that  the  land  of  Chittim  was  a  general  name  for  the  coun- 
tries and  islands  in  the  Mediterranean :  and  therefore 
when  Balaam  said,  that  shifis  should  come  from  the  coast 
of  Chittim,,  he  might  mean  either  Greece,  or  Italy,  or 
both,  the  particular  names  of  those  countries  being  at 
that  time  perhaps  unknown  in  the  east :  and  the  passage 
may  be  the  better  understood  of  both,  because  it  was 
equally  true  of  both,  and  Greece  and  Italy  were  alike, -the 
scourges  of  Asia. 

*  See  Bochart  in  tlie  place  above  quoted^  and  tiie  first  part  of 
his  Hierozoicon,  Book  11.  Chap.  xxiv. 

t  See  Livy,  Book  XLV.  Chapters  x.  xi.  xii.  Sec  also  Pol}l)iiis, 
pag-e  915,  and  916,  in  Casaubon's  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  Ill 

'And  shall  afflict  Asluir.'  Ashur^  as  we  noted  before, 
signifies  properly  the  descendants  of  Ashur,  the  Assyri- 
ans :  but*  their  name  was  of  as  large  extent  as  their  em- 
pire, and  the  Syrians  and  Assyrians  are  often  confounded 
together,  and  mentioned  as  one  and  the  same  people. — 
Now  it  is  so  well  known  as  to  require  no  particular  proof, 
that  the  Grecians  under  the  command  of  Alexander  the 
Great,  subdued  all  those  countries.  The  llomans  after- 
wards extended  their  empire  into  the  same  regions  ;  and 
as  t  Dion  informs  us,  Assyria  properly  so  called,  was  con- 
quered by  the  emperor  Trajan. 

'And  shall  afflict  Eber.  Two  interpretations  are  pro- 
posed of  the  word  Eber^  either  the  posterity  of  a  man  so 
called,  or  the  people  who  dwelt  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  Euphrates.  If  by  Eber  we  understand  the  posteri- 
ty of  Eber,  as  by  Ashur  the  posterity  of  Ashur,  which 
appears  a  very  natural  construction  ;  then  Balaam,  who 
was  commissioned  to  bless  Israel  at  first,  prophecied  evil 
concerning  them  at  last,  though  under  another  name : 
but  men  and  manners  usually  degenerate  in  a  long  course 
of  time  ;  and  as  the  virtues  of  the  progenitors  might  en- 
title them  to  a  blessing,  so  the  vices  of  the  descendants 
might  render  them  obnoxious  to  a  curse.  However,  we 
may  avoid  this  seeming  inconsistence,  if  we  follow  the 
other  interpretation,  and  by  Eber^  understand  the  people 
who  dwelt  on  the  other  side  of  the  river  Euphrates,  which 
sense  is  given  by  Onkelos,  t  and  is  approved  by  several 
of  the  ancients,  as  well  as  by  many  of  the  most  able  com- 
mentators among  the  moderns,  and  is  particularly  enforc- 
ed by  a  learned  professor  §  of  eminent  skill  in  the  orien- 
tal languages.  The  two  members  of  the  period  \vou1d 
then  better  connect  together,  and  the  sense  of  the  latter 
Avould  be  somewhat  exegetical  of  the  former  :  cnid  shall 

*  This  name  extended  as  widely  as  their  empire^ — ^NFany  of  tlie 
ancients  consider  the  Syrians  and  the  Assyrians  as  the  same 
people.     See  Bochart's  Piialeg.  Book  II.  Ciiap.  iii.  Col.  72. 

j-  See  Dion's  Roman  History,  Book  LXVIU.  page  7S3,  in  Leuu- 
clavius'  edition,  printed  at  Hanover  in  1606. 

t  'And  they  shall  subdue  beyond  the  River  Euphrates.'  See 
Onkelos. 

§  See  Hyde's  History  of  the  Religion  of  the  ancient  Persians. 
Chap.  ii.  page  52 — 57. 


112  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ufflict  Jshur,  and  shall  afflict  Eber^  shall  affiict  the  Assy- 
rians, and  other  neighbouring  nations  bordering  upon  the 
river  Euphrates.  >  And  this  interpretation  I  would  readily 
embrace  if  I  could  see  any  instance  of  a  parallel  expres- 
sion. Beyond  the  river,  meaning  Euphrates,  is  indeed. a 
phrase  that  sometimes  occurs  in  scripture,  and  the  con- 
cordance will  supply  us  with  instances :  but  where  doth 
beyond  alone  ever  bear  that  signification?  I  know,  Gen, 
X.  21.  is  usually  cited  for  this  purpose  ;  but  that  text  is 
as  much  controverted  as  this,  and  the  question  is  the 
same  there  as  here,  whether  Eder  be  the  proper  name  of 
a  man,  or  only  a  preposition  signifying  beyond^  and  be-  . 
yond  signifying  the  people  beyond  the  river  Euphrates  : 
or  in  other  words,  whether  the  passage  should  be  trans- 
lated, the  father  of  all  the  children  of  Eber^  or  the  father  ■ 
of  all  the  children  of  the  pcop.le  on  the  other  side  of  the  ri- 
vrr  Euphrates.  Isaiah's  manner  of  speaking  of  the  same 
people  is,  '  by  them  beyond  the  river,  by  the  king  of  As- 
syria :'  vii.  20.  and  one  would  expect  the  like  here,  shall 
afflict  Ashur^  and  shall  afflict  them  beyond  the  river.  But 
which  ever  of  these  interpretations  we  prefer,  the  prophe- 
cy was  alike  fulfilled.  If  we  understand  it  of  the  people 
bordering  upon  the  Euphrates,  they  as  well  as  the  Assy- 
rians were  subdued  both  by  the  Grecians  and  Romans.— 
If  we  understand  it  of  the  posterity  of  Eber,  the  Hebrev/s 
v/ere  afflicted,  though  not  much  by  Alexander  himself, 
yet  by  his  successors  the  Seleucid^e,  and  particularly  by 
Antiochus  Epiphanes,  who  spoiled  Jerusalem,  defiled 
the  temple,  and  slew  all  those  who  adhered  to  the  law  of 
IVIoses.  1  Maccab.  i.  They  were  worse  afflicted  by  the 
Romans,  who  not  only  subdued  and  oppressed  them,  and 
made  their  country  a  province  of  the  empire,  but  at  last 
took  away  their  place  and  nation,  and  sold  and  dispersed 
them  over  the  face  of  the  earth. 

'  And  he  also  shall  perish  for  ever,*  that  is,  Chittim, 
who  is  the  main  subject  of  this  part  of  the  prophecy,  and 
whose  ships  were  to  afflict  Ashur,  and  to  afilict  Eber :  but 
This  notwithstanding, '  he  also  shall  be  even  to  perdition,* 
he  also  shall  be  destroyed  as  well  as  Anialck,  for  in  the' 
original,  the  words  are  the  same  concerning  both.  He,  in 
the  singular  number,  cannot  well  refer  to  both  Ashur  and 
Eber.     He,  must  naturally  signify  Chittim^  the  principal 


Tilt:  PIIOPHECIES.  115 

agent :  and  if  by  Chlttini^  be  meant  the  Grecians,  the 
Grecian  empire  was  entirely  subverted  by  the  Roman  ; 
if  the  Romans,  the  Roman  empire  was  in  its  turn  broker, 
into  pieces  by  the  incursion  of  the  northern  nations.  The 
name  only  of  the  Roman  empire  and  Caesarean  majest) 
subsisting  at  this  day,  and  is  transferred  to  another  coun- 
try and  another  people. 

It  appears  then  that  Balaam  was  a  prophet  divinely  in- 
spired, or  he  could  never  have  foretold  so  many  distant 
events,  some  of  which  are  fulfilling  in  the  world  at  this 
time  :  and  what  a  singular  honour  was  it  to  the  people  of 
Israel,  that  a  prophet  called  from  another  country,  and 
at  the  same  time  a  wicked  man,  should  be  obliged  to  bear 
testimony  to  their  righteousness  and  holiness  ?  The  com- 
mendations of  an  enemy,  among  enemies,  are  commen- 
dations indeed.  And  Moses  did  justice  to  himself  as  well 
as  to  his  nation  in  recording  these  transactions.  They 
are  not  only  a  material  part  of  his  history,  but  are  likewise 
a  strong  confirmation  of  the  truth  of  his  religion.  Ba- 
laam's bearing  witness  to  Moses,  is  somewhat  like  Judas 
attesting  the  innocence  of  Jesus. 


VI. 


MOSES'  PROPHECY  OF  A  PROPHET  LIKE  UNTO 
HIMSELF. 

MOSES  is  a  valuable  writer,  as  upon  many  accounts, 
so  particularly  upon  this,  that  he  hath  not  only  preserved 
and  transmitted  to  posterity  several  ancient  prophecies, 
but  hath  likewise  shown  himself  a  prophet,  and  inserted 
several  predictions  of  his  own.  Among  these  none  is 
more  memorable,  than  that  of  another  propliet  to  be  raised 
like  u«to  himself.  He  was  now  about  to  leave  his  peo- 
ple, and  comforts  them  with  the  promise  of  another  pro- 
phet. Deut.  xviii.  15.  'The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise 
up  unto  thee  a  prophet  from  the  midst  of  thee,  of  thy 
brethren,  like  unto  me ;  unto  him  ye  shall  hearken.'  The 
same  is  repeated  at  ver.  18.  in  the  name  of  God,  '  I  will 
raise  them  up  a  prophet  from  among  their  brethren,  like 
K  2 


il-i  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

unto  thee,  and  will  put  my  words  in  his  month,  and  he 
shall  speak  unto  them  ail  that  I  shall  command  him.'  It 
is  farther  added  at  ver.  19.  'And  it  shall  come  to  pass 
that  whosoever  will  not  hearken  unto  my  words  which  he 
shall  speak  in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of  him.'  Plain 
as  this  prophecy  is,  it  hath  strangely  been  perverted  and 
misapplied:  but  I  conceive  nothing  will  be  wanting  to 
the  right  understanding  both  of  the  prophecy  and  the 
completion,  if  we  can  show  first,  wliat  prophet  was  here 
particulaiiy  intended  ;  if  we  sl;ow  secondly,  that  this  pro- 
phet resembled  Moses  in  more  respects  than  any  other 
person  ever  did  ;  and  if  we  show  thirdly,  that  the  people 
have  been  and  btill  are  severely  punished  for  their  infide- 
lity and  disobedience  to  this  prophet. 

I.  We  will  endeavour  to  show  what  prophet  was  here 
)mrticularly  intended.  Some  have  been  of  opinion,  *  that 
Joshua  was  the  peison  ;  because  he  is  said  in  l^^cclesias- 
ticus  xlvi.  I.  to  have  been  successor  of  Moses  in  fir o- 
phecies  :  and  as  the  people  were  commanded  to  hearken 
unto  this  prophet,  unto  him  ye  shall  hearken  ;  so  they  said 
unto  Joshua,  i.  17.  '  According  as  we  hearkened  unto 
Moses  in  all  things,  so  will  we  hearken  unto  thee.'  Some 
again  have  imagined,  t  that  Jeremiah  was  the  person  ; 
because  he  frequently  applies  (say  they)  the  words  of 
ZNIoses  ;  and  Abarbinel  in  his  preface  to  the  commentary 
iipon  Jeremiah,  reckons  up  fourteen  particulars  wherein 
they  resemble  each  other,  and  observes,  that  Jeremiah 
prophecied  forty  years,  as  Moses  also  did.  Otl^ers,  and 
those  many  more  in  number,  %  understand  this  neither  of 
Joshua,  nor  of  Jeremiah,  nor  of  any  single  person,  but 
of  a  succession  of  prophets  to  be  raised  up  like  unto  Mo- 
ses ;  because  (say  they)  the  people  being  here  forbidden 
to  follow  after  inchaniers  and  diviners^  as  other  nations 
did,  nothing  would  have  secured  them  effectually  from 
ibllowing  after  them,  but  having  true  prophets  of  their 
own,  whom  they  might  consult  upon  occasion  ;  and  the 
latter  are  opposed  to  the  former.  But  still  the  propound- 
•:rs  and  favourers  of  these  different  opinions,  I  think,  agree 

*  See  Manster,  Drussius,  Fag-ius,Calmet,  8cc. 
t  See  Alunster,  Fag-ius,  Patrick,  Calmet,  &c. 
\  See  Fagiiis,  roole,  Lc  Clcrc,  Caimct,  &.c. 


THE  FROPIIECIES.  115 

generally  in  this,  that  though  Joshua,  or  Jeremiah,  or  a 
succession  of  prophets  was  primarily  intended,  yet  the 
main  end  and  ultimate  scope  of  the  prophecy  was  the 
Messiah :  and  indeed  there  appear  some  very  good  rea- 
sons for  understanding  it  of  him  principally,  if  not  of  him 
solely,  besides  the  preference  of  a  literal  to  a  typical  in- 
terpretation. 

There  is  a  passage  in  the  conclusion  of  this  book  of 
Deuteronomy,  whicli  plainly  refers  to  this  prophecy,  and 
entirely  refutes  the  notion  of  Joshua's  being  the  prophet 
like  unto  Moses.     '  And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  was  full 
of  the  spirit  of  wisdom  ;  for  Moses  had  laid  his  hand  upon 
him :  and  the  children  of  Israel,  hearkened  unto  him  and 
did  as  the  Lord  commanded  Moses.  And  there  arose  not 
a  prophet  since  in  Israel  like  unto  Moses,  whom  the  Lord 
knew  face  to  face  :  In  all  the  signs  and  the  wonders  which 
the  Lord  sent  him  to  do,'  Sec.     We  cannot  be  certain  at 
what  time,  or  by  what  hand  this  addition  was  made  to  the 
sacred  volume :  but  it  must  have  been  made  after  the 
death  of  Moses  :  and  consequently  Joshua  was  not  a  pro- 
phet like  unto  Moses  in  the  opinion  of  the  Jewish  church, 
both  of  those  who  made,  and  of  those  who  received,  this 
•addition  as  canonical  scripture.     '  There  arose  not  a  pro- 
phet <sf7icc  in  Israel;'  the  manner  of  expression  plainly 
implies,  that  this  addition  must  have  been  made  at  some 
considerable  distance  of  time  after  the  death  of  Moses  ; 
and  consequently  the  Jewish  church  had  no  conception 
of  a  perpetual  succession  of  prophets  to  be  raised  up  like 
imto  Moses :  and  if  this  addition  was  made,  as  it  is  com- 
monly believed  to  have  been  made,  by  Ezra,  after  the  Ba- 
bylonish captivity,  tlien  it  is  evident,  that  neither  Jeremiah, 
r.or  any  of  the  ancient  prophets  was  esteemed  li^e  unto 
Moses.     Consider  what  are  the  peculiar  marks  and  cha- 
racters, wherein  it  is  said,  that  none  other  prophet  had 
ever  resembled  Moses.  '  There  arose  not  a  proi)het  since 
in  Israel  like  unto  Moses,  whom  the  Lord  knew  face  to 
face,  in  all  the  signs  and  the  wonders  which  the  Lord  sent 
him  to  do.'     And  which  of  the  prophets  ever  conversed 
so   frequently   and  familiarly  with  God,  face  to  face? 
which  of  them  ever  wrought  so  many  and  so  great  mira- 
cles ?  Nobody  was  ever  equal  or  comparable  to  Moses  in 
these  respects,  but  Jesus  the  Messiah. 


116  msSEllTATIONS  OX 

God's  declaralion  too,  upon  occasion  of  Miriam's  ar.d 
Aaron's  sedition,  plainly  evinces  that  there  was  to  be  no 
prophet  in  the  Jewish  church,  and  much  less  a  succession 
of  prophets  Hke  unto  Moses<.  JMiriam  and  Aaron  grew 
jealous  of  Moses,  and  mutinied  against  him,  saying, '  Hath 
the  Lord  indeed  spoken  only  by  Moses?  hath  he  not 
spoken  also  by  us  ?'  Numb.  xxii.  2.  The  controversy 
was  of  such  importance,  that  God  himself  interposed  ; 
and  what  is  his  determination  of  the  case  ?  *  If  tliere  be  a 
prophet  among  you,  I  the  Lord  will  make  myself  known 
unto  him  in  a  vision,  and  will  speak  unto  him  in  a  dream. 
My  seivant  Moses  is  not  so,  who  is  faithful  in  all  mine 
house.  With  him  will  I  speak  mouth  to  mouth,  even 
apparently,  and  not  in  dark  speeches;  and  the  similitude 
of  the  Lord  shall  he  behold:  wherefore  then  were  ye  not 
afraid  to  speak  against  my  servant  Moses?'  ver.  6,  7,  8. 
We  see  here  that  a  great  difference  was  made  between 
Moses  and  other  prophets,  and  also  wherein  that  difier- 
cnce  lay.  God  revealed  himself  unto  other  prophets  in 
dreams  and  visions,,  but  with  Moses  he  conversed  more 
openly,  mouth  to  m.outh^  or, as  it  is  said  elsewhere,yflce  to 
face :  and  Moses  saiv  the  si?mh'tude  of  the  Lord.  These 
were  singular  privileges  and  prerogatives,  which  emi- 
nently distinguished  Moses  from  all  the  other  prophets 
of  the  Jewish  dispensation:  and  yet  there  was  a  prophet 
to  be  raised  up  like  unto  Moses:  but  whoever  resembled 
Moses  in  these  superior  advantages,  but  Jesus  the  Mes- 
siah ? 

It  is  likewise  no  considerable  argument,  that  the  letter 
of  the  text  favours  our  interpretation.  The  word  is  in  the 
singular  number,  '  The  Lord  thy  God  will  raise  up  unto 
thee  a  prophet;'  and  why  then  should  we  understand  it  of 
a  succession  of  prophets  ?  why  should  we  depart  from  the 
literal  construction  without  any  apparent  necessity  for  it? 
Other  nations  hearkened  unto  inchanters  and  diviners^ 
but  the  Lord  would  not  suffer  them  so  do ;  he  had  given 
them  a  better  guide,  already,  and  would  raise  up  unto 
them  another  prophet  superior  to  all  the  inchanters  and 
diviners  in  the  world  :  unto  him  they  should  hearken. 

Moreover  it  is  implied,  that  this  prophet  should  be  a 
iaw-giver.  '  A  prophet  like  unto  thee  ;'  not  simply  a  pro- 
phet, but  a  prophet  like  unto  Moses,  that  is  a  second  law- 


YlIE  PllOPlIECIES.  117 

giver,  as  Eusebius  *  explains  it.  The  reason  too  that  is 
assigned  for  sending  this  prophet,  \vill  evince  that  he  was 
to  be  vested  \vith  this  character.  The  people  had  request- 
ed, that  the  divine  laws  might  not  be  delivered  to  them 
in  so  terrible  and  awful  a  manner,  as  they  had  been  in 
Horeb.  God  approved  their  request,  and  promised  there- 
fore, that  he  would  raise  up  unto  them  a  prophet  like  unto 
Moses,  a  law-giver  who  should  speak  unto  them  his  com- 
mands in  a  familiar  and  gentle  way.  This  prophet  there- 
fore was  to  be  a  law-giver :  but  none  of  the  Jewish  pro- 
phets were  law-givers,  in  all  the  intermediate  time  be- 
tween Moses  and  Christ. 

If  we  farther  appeal  unto  fact,  we  shall  find  that  there 
never  was  ^ny  prophet,  and  much  less  a  succession  of  pro- 
phets, whom  the  Jews  esteemed  like  iinto  Moses.  The 
highest  degree  of  inspiration  they  term  the  Mosaical,  t 
and  enumerate  several  particulars,  wherein  that  hath  the 
pre-eminence,  and  advantage  above  all  others.  There  was 
indeed,  in  consequence  of  this  prophecy,  a  general  ex- 
pectation of  some  extraordinary  prophet  to  arise,  which 
prevailed  particularly  about  the  time  of  our  Saviour.  The 
Jews  then,  as  well  ast  since,  understood  and  applied  this 
prophecy  to  the  Messiah,  the  only  prophet  whom  they 
will  ever  allow  to  be  as  great  or  greater  than  Moses.  When 
our  Saviour  had  fed  five  thousand  men,  by  a  miracle 
like  that  of  Moses,  who  fed  the  Israelites  in  the  wilder- 
ness, then  those  men  said,  '  This  is  of  a  truth  that  prophet 
that  should  come  into  the  world,*  John  vi.  14.  St.  Peter  and 

*  See  Eusebiiis'  Evangelical  Demonstratioi-i,  Book  T.  Chap.  ii^i. 
pag-e  6,  and  Book  IX.  Chap.  xi.  page  443,  in  the  Paris  edition  of 
1628. 

f  See  Smith's  Discourse  of  Prophecy,  chap,  ii,  and  xi,  wherein 
it  is  sliown  from  Maimouides,  that  Moses's  inspiration  excelled 
all  others  in  four  particulars.  1.  All  other  prophets  prophecied 
in  a  dream  or  vision,  but  Moses  waking*  and  standing.  2.  All 
other  prophets  prophecied,  by  the  help  or  ministry  of  an  angel, 
but  Moses  prophecied  without  the  ministry  of  an  angel.  3.  All 
other  propliets  were  afraid,  and  troubled,  and  fainted,  but  Mo- 
ses was  not  so,  for  the  scripture  saith,  that  God  f'pdke  to  him  a& 
a  man  speiifccth  to  /us  friend.  4  None  of  the  proplicts  did  pro- 
phecy at  what  time  they  would,  save  Moses. 

+  See  authorities  cited  in  Bishop  Chandler's  Defence  of  Chris- 
tianity.   Chap.  6."  Sect.  2.  p.  307.  Edit.  3d. 


118  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

St.  Stephen  directly  apply  the  prophecy  to  him :  Acts  iii. 
22,  23.  vii.  o7 .  and  they  may  very  well  be  justified  for  so 
doing ;  for  he  fully  answers  all  the  marks  and  characters 
which  are  here  given  of  the  prophet  like  unto  Moses. 
He  had  immediate  communication  with  the  deity,  and 
God  spake  to  him  face  toface^  as  he  did  to  Moses.  He 
performed  <S7.§V25  and  ti'onders,  as  great  or  greater  than 
those  of  Moses.  He  was  a  ian'-jiver,  as  well  as  Moses. 
*  I  will  raise  them  up  a  prophet,'  saith  God  ;  and  the  peo- 
ple glorified  God,  saying,  *  That  a  great  prophet  is  risen 
up  among  us,'  Luke  vii.  16.  'I  will  put  my  words  in  his 
mouth,'  saith  God,  in  Hebrew,  will  give  my  Avords:  and 
our  Saviour  saith,  ^  I  have  given  unto  them  the  words 
which  thou  gavest  me,'  John  xvii.  8.  *  He  shall  speak 
unto  them  all  that  I  shall  command  him,'  saith  God  :  and 
our  Saviour  saith, '  1  have  not  spoken  of  myself ;  but  the 
Father  which  sent  me,  he  gave  m.e  a  commandment  what 
I  should  say,  and  what  I  should  speak.  And  1  know  that 
his  commandment  is  life  everlasting  :  whatsoever  I  speak, 
therefore,  even  as  the  Father  said  unto  me,  so  I  speak,' 
John  xii.  49,  50. 

n.  We  shall  be  more  and  more  confirmed  in  this  opi- 
nion when  we  consider  the  great  and  striking  likeness 
between  Moses  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  that  the  latter  resem- 
bled the  former  in  more  respects  than  any  other  person 
ever  did.  Notice  hath  been  taken  already  of  some  instan- 
ces, wherein  they  resemble  each  other,  of  God  speaking  to 
both  face  toface^  of  both  performing  sig77s  a?id  ivondeis^ 
oihoihbfzm^  law -givers:  and  in  these  respects  none  of 
the  ancient  prophets  were  like  unto  Moses.  None  of 
them  were  law-givers  ;  they  only  interpreted  and  inforced 
the  law  of  Moses.  None  of  them  performed  so  many  and 
so  great  wonders.  None  of  them  had  such  clear  com- 
munications with  God  ;  they  all  saw  visions,  and  dreamed 
dreams.  Moses  and  Jesus  Christ  are  the  only  two,  who 
perfectly  resemble  each  other  in  these  respects.  But  a 
more  exact  and  particular  comparison  may  be  drawn  be- 
tween them,  and  halli  been  drawn  by  two  eminent  hands, 
by  one  of  the  best  and  ablest  of  the  ancient  fathers,  and  by 
one  of  the  most  learned  and  ingenious  of  divines:  and  as 
we  cannot  pretend  to  add  any  modern  thing  to  tliem,  wc 
must  be  content  to  copy  from  them. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  119 

Kusebius  treatini^  of  the  prophecies  concerning 
Christ,  *  produceth  first  this  of  Moses  ;  and  then  asketh, 
"  which  of  the  prophets  after  Moses,  Isaiah  for  instance, 
or  Jeremiah,  or  Ezekiel,  or  Daniel,  or  any  other  of  the 
twelve,  was  a  law-giver,  and  performed  things  like  unto 
!Moses?  Moses  first  rescued  the  Jewish  nation  from  Egyp- 
tian superstition  and  idolatry,  and  taught  them  the  true 
theology ;  Jesus  Christ  in  like  manner  was  the  first 
teacher  of  true  religion  and  virtue  to  the  Gentiles.  Moses 
confirmed  his  religion  by  miracles;  and  so  likewise  did 
Christ.  Moses  delivered  the  Jewish  nation  from  Egyp- 
tian servitude ;  and  Jesus  Christ  all  mankind  from  the 
power  of  evil  demons.  Moses  promised  a  holy  land,  and 
therein  a  happy  life  to  those  who  kept  the  law  :  and  Jesus 
Christ  a  better  country,  that  is  a  heavenly,  to  all  righteous 
souls.  Moses  fasted  forty  days ;  and  so  likewise  did  Christ. 
Moses  supplied  the  people  with  bread  in  the  wilderness ; 
and  our  Saviour  fed  five  thousand  at  one  time,  and  four 
thousand  at  another,  with  a  few  loaves.  Moses  went  him- 
self, and  led  the  people  through  the  midst  of  the  sea  ;  and 
Jesus  Christ  walked  on  the  sea,  and  enabled  Peter  to  walk 
likewise.  Moses  stretched  out  his  hand  over  the  sea,  and 
the  Lord  caused  the  sea  to  go  backward  ;  and  our  Saviour 
rebuked  the  wind  and  the  sea,  and  there  was  a  great  calm. 
Moses'  face  shone,  when  he  descended  from  the  Mounts 
and  our  Saviour's  did  shine  as  the  sun,  in  his  transfigura- 
tion. Moses  by  his  prayers  cured  Miriam  of  her  leprosy; 
and  Christ  with  greater  power  by  a  word  healed  several 
lepers.  Moses  performed  wonders  by  the  finger  of  God : 
and  Jesus  Christ  by  the  finger  of  God  did  cast  out  devils. 
Moses  changes  Oshea's  name  to  Joshua  ;  and  our  Saviour 
did  Simon's  to  Peter.  Moses  constituted  seventy  rulers 
over  the  people  ;  and  our  Saviour  appointed  seventy  dis- 
ciples. Moses  sent  forth  twelve  men  to  spy  out  the  land: 
and  our  Saviour  twelve  apostles  to  visit  all  nations.  Moses 
gave  several  excellent  moral  precepts;  and  our  Saviour 
carried  them  to  the  highest  perfection." 

Dr.  Jortin  f  hath  enlarged  upon  these  hints  of  Euse- 

*  See  Eusebliis'  Evan^^elical  Demonstration,  Book  HI.  Chap.  ii. 
page  90 — 94,  in  tlie  Paris  edition  of  1628. 

t  Itcmarks  on  Ecclesixistical  History,  Vol.  I.  page  203—222. 


120  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

bius,  and  made  several  improvements  and  additions  to 
them.  "  Moses  in  his  infancy  was  wonderfully  preserv- 
ed from  the  destruction  of  all  the  male  children ;  so  was 
Christ.  Moses  tied  from  his  country  to  escape  the  hands 
of  the  king  :  so  did  Christ,  when  his  parents  carried  him 
into  Egypt :  Afterwards,  *  the  Lord  said  to  Moses  in 
Midian,  Go,  return  into  Egypt ;  for  all  the  men  are  dead 
which  sought  thy  life  ;  Exod.  iv.  19.  so  the  angel  of  the 
L6^^  said  to  Joseph,  in  almost  the  same  words,  *  Arise, 
and  take  the  young  child,  and  go  into  the  land  of  Israeli 
for  they  are  dead  which  sought  the  yovmg  child's  life  ; 
Matth.  ii.  20.  pointing  him  out  as  it  were  for  that  pro- 
phet, who  should  arise  like  unto  Moses.  Moses  refused 
to  be  called  the  son  of  Pharaoh's  daughter,  choosing 
rather  to  suffer  affliction.  Christ  refused  to  be  made 
king,  choosing  rather  to  suffer  affliction.  Moses,  says 
St.  Stephen,  '  was  learned,'  epaideuthe  <  in  all  the  wis- 
dom of  the  Egyptians,'  and  Josephus  (Ant.  Jud.  ii.  9.) 
says,  that  he  was  a  very  forward  and  accomplished 
youth,  and  had  wisdom  and  knowledge  beyond  his  years  ; 
St.  Luke  observes  of  Christ,  that  he  increased  betimes) 
in  wisdom  and  stature,  and  in  favour  with  God  and  man,' 
and  his  discourses  in  the  temple  with  the  doctors,  when 
he  was  twelve  years  old,  were  a  proof  of  it.  Moses 
contended  with  the  magicians,  who  were  forced  to  ac- 
knowledge the  divine  power  by  which  he  was  assisted  ; 
Christ  ejected  evil  spirits,  and  received  the  same  ac- 
knowledgments from  them.  Moses  was  not  only  a  law- 
giver, a  prophet,  and  a  worker  of  miracles,  but  a  king 
and  a  priest :  in  all  these  offices  the  resemblance  betweien 
Moses  and  Christ  was  singular.  Moses  brought  dark- 
ness over  the  land  ;  the  sun  withdrew  his  light  at  Christ's 
crucifixion  :  And  as  the  darkness  which  was  spread  over 
Egypt  was  followed  by  the  destruction  of  their  first  born, 
and  of  Pharoah  and  his  host ;  so  the  darkness  at  Christ's 
death  was  the  forerunner  of  the  destruction  of  the  Jews. 
Moses  foretold  the  calanuties  which  would  befal  the  na- 
tion for  their  disobedience  ;  so  did  Christ.  The  spirit 
which  was  in  Moses  was  conferred  in  some  degree  upon 
the  seventy  elders,  and  they  prophecied  ;  Christ  confer- 
red miraculous  powers  upon  his  seventy  disciples.  Mo- 
ses was  victorious  over  powerful  kings  and  great  nations ; 


THE  PROPHECIES.  121 

so  was  Christ  by  the  effects  of  his  religion,  and  by  the 
fall  of  those  who  persecuted  his  church.  Moses  con- 
quered Amalek  by  holding  up  both  his  hands  ;  Christ 
overcame  his  and  our  enemies  when  his  hands  were 
fastened  to  the  cross.  Moses  interceded  for  trans- 
gressors, and  caused  an  atonement  to  be  made  for  them, 
and  stopped  the  wrath  of  God ;  so  did  Christ.  Moses 
ratified  a  covenant  between  God  and  the  people  by  sprink- 
ling them  with  blood ;  Christ  with  his  own  blood.  Mo- 
ses desired  to  die  for  the  people,  and  prayed  that  God 
would  forgive  them,  or  blot  him  out  of  his  book  ;  Christ 
did  more,  he  died  for  sinners.  Moses  instituted  the  pass- 
over,  when  a  lamb  was  sacrificed,  none  of  whose  bones 
were  to  be  broken,  and  whose  blood  protected  the  people 
from  destruction  ;  Christ  was  that  paschal  lamb.  Moses 
lifted  up  the  serpent,  that  they  who  looked  upon  him 
might  be  healed  of  their  mortal  wounds  ;  Christ  was 
that  serpent.  All  Moses'  affection  towards  the  people, 
all  his  cares  and  toils  on  their  account,  were  repaid  by 
them  with  ingratitude,  murmuring,  and  rebellion ;  the 
same  returns  the  Jews  made  to  Christ  for  all  his  benefits. 
Moses  was  ill  used  by  his  owri  family,  his  brother  and 
sister  rebelled  against  him ;  there  was  a  time  when 
Christ's  own  brethren  believed  not  in  him.  Moses  had 
a  very  wicked  and  perverse  generation  committed  to  his 
care  and  conduct,  and  to  enable  him  to  rule  them,  mira- 
culous powers  were  given  to  him,  and  he  used  his  utmost 
endeavour  to  make  the  people  obedient  to  God,  and  to 
save  them  from  ruin ;  but  in  vain  ;  in  the  space  of  forty 
years  they  all  fell  in  the  wilderness,  except  two;  Christ 
also  was  given  to  a  generation  not  less  wicked  and  per- 
verse, his  instructions  and  his  miracles  were  lost  upon 
them,  and  in  about  the  same  space  of  time,  after  they 
had  rejected  him,  they  were  destroyed.  Moses  was  very 
meek  above  all  men  that  were  on  the  face  of  the  earth ; 
so  was  Christ.  The  people  could  not  enter  into  the  land 
of  promise,  till  Moses  was  dead  ;  by  the  death  of  Christ 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  open  to  believers.  In  the 
death  of  Moses  and  Christ  there  is  also  a  resemblance  of 
some  circumstances:  Moses  died,  in  one  sense,  for  the 
iniquities  of  the  people  ;  it  was  their  rebellion  which 
was  the  occasion  of  it,  which  drew  down  the  displeasure 

VOL.   I.  L 


122  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

of  God  upon  them  and  upon  him ;  Moses  went  up,  in 
the  sight  of  the  people,  to  the  top  of  mount  Nebo,  and 
there  he  died,  when  he  was  in  perfect  vigour,  when  Miis 
eyes  was  not  dim,  nor  his  natural  force  abated :'  Christ 
suffered  for  the  sins  of  men,  and  was  led  up,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  the  people,  to  mount  Calvary,  where  he  died  in 
the  flower  of  his  age,  and  when  he  was  in  his  full  natu- 
ral strength.  Neither  Moses  nor  Christ,  as  far  as  we 
may  collect  from  sacred  history,  were  ever  sick,  or  felt 
any  bodily  decay  or  infirmity,  which  would  have  render- 
ed them  unfit  for  the  toils  they  underwent;  their  suf- 
ferings were  of  another  kind.  Moses  was  buried,  and 
210  man  knew  where  his  body  lay  ;  nor  could  the  Jews 
iind  the  body  of  Christ.  Lastly,  as  Moses  a  little  before 
death  promised  another  prophet  i  so  Christ  another  coni' 
forter." 

The  great  similitude  consists  in  their  both  being  law- 
givers, which  no  prophet  ever  was  besides  Moses  and 
Christ.  They  may  resemble  each  other  in  several  other 
features,  and  a  fruitful  imagination  may  find  out  a  like- 
ness where  there  is  none.  But  as  the  same  excellent 
writer  concludes,  "  Is  this  similitude  and  correspondence 
in  so  many  things  between  Moses  and  Christ  the  effect 
of  mere  chance  ?  Let  us  search  all  the  records  of  uni- 
versal history,  and  see  if  we  can  find  a  man  so  like  to 
INIoses  as  Christ  was,  and  so  like  to  Christ  as  Moses  was. 
If  we  cannot  find  such  a  one,  then  have  we  found  him 
of  whom  Moses  in  the  law,  and  the  prophets  did  write, 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  Son  of  God." 

III.  There  is  no  want  of  many  words  to  prove,  for  it 
is  visible  to  all  the  world,  that  the  people  have  been  and 
still  are  severely  punished  for  their  infidelity  and  disobe- 
dience to  this  prophet.  'J'he  prophecy  is  clear  and  ex- 
^)ress  ;  '  Unto  him  ye  shall  hearken  ;  And  it  shall  come 
to  pass  that  whosoever  will  not  hearken  unto  my  words 
■which  he  shall  speak  in  my  name,  I  will  require  it  of 
lum,'  that  is,  I  will  severely  punish  him  for  it,  as  the 
phrase  signifies  elsewhere.  The  antecedent  is  put  for 
the  consequent;  judges  first  inquired,  then  punished:  and 
the  Seventy  translate  it,*  I  will  take  vengeance  of  him. 

Sec  the  Septuag-lnt, 


THE  PROPHECIES.  123 

This  prophecy,  as  we  have  proved  at  large,  evidently  re- 
lates to  Jesus  Christ.     Ciod   himself  in  a  manner  applies 
it  to  him:  for  when  he  was  transfigured,  Mat.  xvii.  5.  there 
came  '  a  voice  out  of  the  cloud,  which  said,  This  is  my 
beloved  Son  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased;  hear  ye  him  ;* 
alluding-  plainly  to  the  words  of  JN'loses,  '  Unto  him  ye 
shall  hearken,'  and  so  pointing  him  out  for  the  prophet  like 
unto  Moses.  St  Peter,  as  we  noted  before,  directly  applies 
it  to  our  Saviour,  Acts  iii.  22,  23.  '  For  Moses  truly  said 
unto  the  fathers,  A  prophet  shall  the  Lord  your  God  raise 
up  unto  you,  of  your  brethren  like  unto  me  :  him  shall  ye 
hear  in  all  things  whatsoever  he  shall  say  unto  you :  And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  every  soul  which  will  not  hear 
that  prophet,  shall  be  destroyed  from  among  the  people  ;* 
which  is  the  sense  rather  than  the  words  of  the  prophecy. 
And  hath  not  this  terrible  denunciation  been  fully  execu- 
ted upon  the  Jews?  Was  not  the  complete  excision  of 
that  incredulous  nation,  soon  after  Jesus  had  finished  his 
ministry   among   them,  and   his   apostles   had  likewise 
preached  in  vain,  the  fulfilling  of  the  threat  upon  them 
for  not  hearkening  unto  him  ?  We  may  be  the  more  cer- 
tain of  this  application,  as  our  Saviour  himself  not  only 
denounced  the   same   destruction,   but  also  foretold  the 
signs,  the  manner,  and  the  circumstances  of  it,  with  a 
particularity  and  exactness  that  will  amaze  us,  as  we  shall 
see  in  a  proper  place :  and  those  of  the  Jews  who  believed 
in  his  name,  by  remembering  the  caution,  and  following 
the  advice   which  he  had  given  them  escaped  from  the 
general  ruin  of  their  country,  like  fire-brands  plucked  out 
of  the  fire.     The  main  body  of  the  nation  either  perished 
in  their  infidelity,  or  were  carried  captive  into  all  nations: 
and  have  they  not  ever  since,  persisting  in  the  same  in- 
fidelity, been  obnoxious  to   the  same  punishment,   and 
been  a  vagabond,  distressed,  and  miserable  people  in  the 
earth  ?  The  hand  of  God  was  scarce  ever  more  visible  in 
any  of  his  dispensations.      We  must  be  blind  not  to  see 
it :  and  seeing,  we  cannot  but  admire  and  adore  it.  What 
other  probable  account  can  they  themselves  give  of  their 
long  captivity,  dispersion,  and  misery  ?  Their  former  cap- 
tivity for  the  punishment  of  their  wickedness  and  idolatry 
lasted  only  seventy  years:  but  they  have  lived  in  their 
present  dispersion,  even  though  they  have  been  no  idola- 


124  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ters,  now  these  seventeen  hundred  years,  and  yet  without 
any  immediate  prospect  of  their  restoration :  and  what 
enormous  crime  could  have  drawn  down,  and  unrepen  ted 
of,  still  continues  to  draw  down,  these  heavy  judgments 
upon  them?  We  say  that  they  were  cut  off  for  their  in- 
fidelity ;  and  that  when  they  shall  turn  to  the  faith,  they 
will  be  grafted  in  again.  One  would  think,  it  should  be 
worth  their  while  to  try  the  experiment.  Sure  we  are, 
that  they  have  long  been  monuments  of  God's  justice ; 
"we  believe,  that  upon  their  faith  and  repentance  they  will 
become  again  objects  of  his  mercy :  and  in  the  mean 
time  with  St.  Paul,  Rom.  x.  1.  ^  our  hearts  desire  and 
prayer  to  God  for  Israelis,  that  they  may  be  saved/ 


VII. 

PilOPHECIES  OF  MOSES  CONCERNING  THE  JEWS. 

IT  is  observeable  that  the  prophecies  of  Moses  abound 
most  in  the  latter  part  of  his  writings.  As  he  drew  near- 
er his  end,  it  pleased  God  to  open  to  him  larger  prospects 
of  things.  As  he  was  about  to  take  leave  of  the  people, 
he  was  enabled  to  disclose  unto  them  more  particulars  of 
their  future  state  and  condition.  The  design  of  this  work 
will  permit  us  to  take  notice  of  such  only  as  have  some 
reference  to  these  latter  ages  :  and  we  will  confine  our- 
selves principally  to  the  28th  chapter  of  Deuteronomy, 
the  greater  part  whereof  we  may  see  accomplished  in  the 
world  at  this  present  time. 

This  great  prophet  and  law-giver  is  here  proposing  at 
large  to  the  people  the  blessings  for  obedience,  and  the 
<  urses  for  disobedience :  and  indeed  he  had  foretold  at 
several  times  and  upon  several  occasions,  that  they  should 
be  happy  or  miserable  in  the  world,  as  they  were  obedi- 

dent  or  disobedient  to  the  law  that  he  had  given  them . 

And  could  there  be  any  stronger  evidence  of  the  divine 
original  of  the  Mosaical  law  ?  and  hath  not  the  interposi- 
tion of  providence  been  woderfully  remarkal)le  in  their 
good  or  bad  fortune  I  and  is  not  the  truth  of  the  predic- 


THE  PROPHECIES.  1^  y 

tion  fully  attested  by  the  whole  series  of  their  history 
from  their  first  settlement  in  Canaan  to  this  very  day? 
But  he  is  larger  and  more  particular  in  recounting  the 
curses  than  the  blessings,  as  if  he  had  a  prescience  of  the 
peoples'  disobedience,  and  foresaw  that  a  larger  portion 
and  longer  continuation  of  the  evil  would  fall  to  their 
share,  than  of  the  good.  I  know  that  some  critics  make 
a  division  of  these  prophecies,  and  imagine  that  one  part 
relates  to  the  former  captivity  of  the  Jews,  and  to  the 
calamities  which  they  suffered  under  the  Chaldeans  ;  and 
that  the  other  part  relates  to  the  latter  captivity  of  the 
Jews,  and  to  the  calamities  which  they  suffered  under 
the  Romans  :  but  there  is  no  need  of  any  such  distinc- 
tion ;  there  is  no  reason  to  think  that  any  such  was  intend- 
ed by  the  author  ;  several  prophecies  of  the  one  part  as 
well  as  of  the  other  have  been  fulfilled  at  both  periods, 
but  they  have  all  more  amply  been  fulfilling  during  the 
latter  period  ;  and  there  cannot  be  a  more  lively  picture 
than  they  exhibit,  of  the  state  of  the  Jews  at  present. 

1.  We  will  consider  them  with  a  view  to  the  ordei- 
of  time  rather  than  the  order  wherein  they  lie ;  and 
we  may  not  improperly  begin  with  this  passage,  ver. 
49.  '  The  Lord  shall  bi'ing  a  nation  against  thee  from 
far,  from  the  end  of  the  earth,  as  swift  as  the  eagle  flieth, 
a  nation  whose  tongue  thou  shalt  not  understand :'  and 
the  Chaldeans  might  be  said  to  come  from  far,  in  compa- 
rison with  the  Moabite«,  Philistines,  and  other  neighbour- 
ing nations,  which  used  to  infest  Judea.  Much  the  same 
description  is  given  of  the  Chaldeans  by  Jeremiah,  ver. 
14.  '  Lo,  I  will  bring  a  nation  upon  you  from  far,  O 
house  of  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  :  it  is  a  mighty  nation,  it 
is  an  ancient  nation,  a  nation  whose  language  thou  know- 
estnot,  neither  understandest  what  they  say.*  He  com- 
pares them  in  like  manner  to  eagles,  Lam.  iv.  19.  '  Our 
persecutors  are  swifter  than  the  eagles  of  the  heaven  : 
they  pursued  us  upon  the  mountains,  they  laid  wait  for 
us  in  the  wilderness,'  But  this  description  cannot  be  ap- 
plied to  any  nation  with  such  propriety  as  to  the  Romans. 
They  were  truly  brought '  from  far,  from  the  end  of  the 
earth.'  Vespasian  and  Adrian,  the  two  great  conquer- 
ors and  destroyers  of  the  Jews,  both  came  from  com- 
manding here  in  Britain.     The  Romans  too  for  the  rapi- 

L  2 


126  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

dity  of  their  conquests  might  very  well  be  compared  to 
eagles,  and  perhaps  not  without  an  allusion  to  the  stand- 
ard of  the  Roman  armies,  which  was  an  eagle  :  and  their 
language  was  more  unknown  to  the  Jews  than  the  Chal- 
dee. 

2.  The  enemies  of  the  Jews  are  farther  characterized 
in  the  next  verse,  ^  A  nation  of  fierce  countenance,  which 
shall  not  regard  the  person  of  the  old,  nor  show  favour  to 
the  young.  Such  were  the  Chaldeans  ;  and  the  sacred 
historian  saith  expressly,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  17.  that  for 
the  wickedness  of  the  Jews,  God  '  brought  upon  them  the 
king  of  the  Chaldees,  who  slew  their  young  men  with  the 
swordj  in  the  house  of  their  sanctuary,  and  had  no  com- 
passion upon  young  man  or  maiden,  old  man,  or  him  that 
stooped  for  age  ;  he  gave  them  all  into  his  hand.*  Such 
also  were  the  Romans :  for  when  Vespasian  entered  Ga- 
dera,  *  Josephus  saith,  that  "  he  slew  all  man  by  man,  the 
Romans  showing  mercy  to  no  age,  out  of  hatred  to  the 
nation,  and  remembrance  of  their  former  injuries."— -The 
like  slaughter  was  made  at  GamaJa,  f  "  For  nobody  es- 
caped besides  two  women,  and  they  escaped  concealing 
themselves  from  the  rage  of  the  Romans.  For  they  did  not 
so  much  as  spare  young  children,  but  every  one  at  that 
time  snatching  up  many^cast  them  down  from  the  cila- 
del.'* 

3.  Their  enemies  were  also  to  besiege  and  take  their 
cities,  ver.  52.  *  And  he  shall  besiege  thee  in  all  thy  gates, 
imtil  thy  high  and  fenced  walls  come  down,  wherein  thou 
trustedst,  throughout  all  thy  land.  So  Shalmanezer  king 
of  Assyria  came  up  against  Samaria,  and  besieged  it,  and 
at  the  end  of  three  years  they  took  it.'  2  Kings  xviii.  9,  10. 


*  And  afterwards  having  entered  into  it,  (Gadera,)  he  ordered 
»^11  that  were  gravvn  up  to  be  slain.  The  Romans  shewed  rriercy 
to  no  age,  both  on  account  of  their  hatred  to  the  whole  nation, 
and  because  of  their  recollection  of  the  wrong  which  they  (the 
.Jews)  had  done  to  Cestius.  See  Jewish  Wars,  Book  HI.  Chap, 
vii.  Sect.  1.  page  1128,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

f  None  were  saved  excepting  two  women,  and  they  escaped, 
because  at  the  time  of  sacking  the  city,  they  privily  had  with- 
drawn and  concealed  themselves  from  the  fury  of  the  Romans. 
They  did  not  even  spare  infants,  but  every  one  laying  hold  of 
many  of  them,  threw  them  down  headlong-  from  the  castle. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  12r 

*  So  did  Sennacherib  king  of  Assyria  came  up  against 
all  the  fenced  cities  of  Judah,  and  took  them:  lb.  ver.  13. 
and  Nebuchadnezzar  and  his  captains  took  and  spoiled 
Jerusalem,  burnt  the  city  and  temple,  'and  brake  down 
the  walls  of  Jerusalem  round  about,*  lb.  xxv.  10.  So 
likewise  the  Romans,  as  we  may  read  in  Josephus'  histo- 
ry of  the  Jewish  wars,  demolished  several  fortified  places, 
before  they  besieged  and  destroyed  Jerusalem.  And  the 
Jews  may  very  well  be  said  to  have  '  trusted  in  their  high 
and  fenced  walls,*  for  they  seldom  ventured  a  battle  in  the 
open  field.  They  confided  in  the  strength  and  situation 
of  Jerusalem,  as  the  Jebusites,  the  former  inhabitants  of 
the  place,  had  done  before  them:  2  Sam.  v.  6,  7.  in- 
somuch that  they  are  presented  saying,  Jer.  xxi.   13. — 

*  Who  shall  come  down  against  us  ?  or  who  shall  enter 
into  our  habitation  ?*  Jerusalem  was  indeed  a  very  strong 
place,  and  wonderfully  fortified  both  by  nature  and  art  ac- 
cording to  the  description  of  Tacitus  *  as  well  as  of  Jose- 
phus  :  and  yet  how  many  f  times  it  was  taken  ?  It  was  ta- 
ken by  Shishak  king  of  Egypt,  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  by 
Antiochus  Epiphanes,  by  Pompey,  by  Sosius  and  Herod, 
before  its  final  destruction  by  Titus. 

4.  In  these  sieges  they  were  to  suffer  much,  and  espe- 
cially from  famine,  /in  the  straitness  wherewith  their 
enemies  should  distress  them,'  ver.  53,  Sec.  And  accor- 
dingly when  the  king  of  Syria  besieged  Samaria,  '  there 
was  a  great  famine  in  Samaria  ;  and  behold  they  besieged 
it,  until  an  ass's  head  was  sold  for  fourscore  pieces  of  sil- 
ver, and  the  fourth  part  of  a  cab  of  dove's  dung  for  five 
pieces  of  silver,'  2  Kings  vi.  25.  And  when  Nebuchad- 
nezzar besieged  Jerusalem,  '  the  famine  prevailed  in  the 
city,  and  there  was  no  bread  for  the  people  of  the  land,* 
2  Kings  xxv.  3,  And  in  the  last  siege  of  Jerusalem  by 
the  Romans  there  was  a  most  terrible  famine  in  the  city, 
and  Josephus  hath  given  so  melancholy  an  account  of  it, 
that  we  cannot  read  it  without  shuddering.  He  saith,  par- 

*  See  Tacitus'  History,  Book  V.  See  Josephus'  Jewish  wars. 
Book  V.  Chap,  iv,  and  v' 

t  See  Josephus*  Jewish  wars,  Book  VI.  and  last  chapter,  page 
1292,  of  Hudson's  edition. 


128  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ticularly,  that  t "  women  snatched  the  food  out  of  the  very- 
mouths  of  their  husbands,  and  sons  of  their  fathers,  and 
(what  is  most  miserable)  mothers  of  their  infants:"  and 
in  another  f  place  he  saith,  that  "  in  every  house,  if  there 
appeared  any  semblance  of  food,  a  battle  ensued,  and  the 
dearest  friends  and  relations  fought  with  one  another, 
snatching  away  the  miserable  provisions  of  life  :"  so  liter- 
ally were  the  words  of  Moses  fulfilled,  ver.  54,  8cc.  the 
man's  '  eye  shall  be  evil  towards  his  brother,  and  to- 
wards the  wife  of  his  bosom,  and  towards  his  child- 
ren, because  he  hath  nothing  left  him  in  the  siege 
and  in  the  straitness  wherewith  thine  enemies  shall  dis- 
tress thee  in  all  thy  gates,*  and  in  like  manner  the  woman's 

*  eye  shall  be  evil  towards  the  husband  of  her  bosom,  and 
towards  her  son,  and  towards  her  daughter.' 

5.  Nay  it  was  expressly  foretold,  that  not  only  the  men, 
but  even  the  women  should  eat  their  own  children.  Mo- 
ses had  foretold  the  same  thing  before,  Levit.  xxvi.  29. 

*  Ye  shall  eat  the  flesh  of  your  sons,  and  the  flesh  of  your 
daughters  shall  ye  eat.'  He  repeats  it  here,  ver.  53.  *And 
thou  shalt  eat  the  fruit  of  thine  own  body,  the  flesh  of  thy 
sons  and  of  thy  daughters  ;'  and  more  particularly,  ver. 
56,  &:c.  '  The  tender  and  delicate  woman  among  you, 
who  would  not  adventure  to  set  the  sole  of  her  foot  upon 
the  ground  for  delicateness  and  tenderness—she  shall  eat 
her  children  for  want  of  all  things  secretly  in  the  siege 
and  straitness,  wherewith  thine  enemies  shall  distress 
thee  in  thy  gates.'  And  it  was  fulfilled  about  six  hundred 
years  after  the  time  of  Moses  arnong  the  Israelites,  when 
Samaria  was  besieged  by  the  king  of  Syria,  and  two  wd- 
men  agreed  together,  the  one  to  give  up  her  son  to  be 

*  Forasmuch  as  wives  squeezed  the  food  out  of  the  mouths  of 
their  husbands,  and  children  out  of  the  mouths  of  their  parents, 
and  what  was  most  miserable  of  all,  mothers  out  of  the  mouths 
of  their  babes.  See  Jewish  wars.  Book  V.  Chap.  x.  Seet.  3.  page 
1245. 

f  Wherever,  in  any  house,  but  the  shadow  of  bread  appeared, 
instantly  a  battle  ensued,  and  they  who  before  had  been  on  the 
most  friendly  footing,  fought  against  each  other  with  the  great- 
est fury,  that  they  might  carry  off  some  miserable  scraps  for 
their  sustenance.  See  Book  VI.  Chap,  iii.  Sect.  3.  page  1274, 
of  Hudson's  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  129 

boiled  and  eaten  to-day,  and  the  other  to  deliver  up  her 
son  to  be  dressed  and  eaten  to-morrow,  and  one  of  them 
was  eaten  accordingly,  2  Kings  vi.  28,  29.  It  was  fulfilled 
again  about  nine  hundred  years  after  the  time  of  Moses 
among  the  Jews  in  the  siege  of  Jerusalem  before  the 
Babylonish  captivity  ;  and  Bai  uch  thus  expresseth  it,  ii. 
1,  &c.  *  The  Lord  hath  made  good  his  word,  which  he 
pronounced  against  us,  to  bring  upon  us  great  plagues, 
such  as  never  happened  under  the  whole  heaven,  as  it 
came  to  pass  in  Jerusalem,  according  to  the  things  that 
were  written  in  the  law  of  Moses,  that  a  man  should  eat 
the  flesh  of  his  own  son,  and  the  flesh  of  his  own  daugh- 
ter :*  and  Jeremiah  thus  laments  it  in  his  Lamentations, 
iv.  10.  *  The  hands  of  the  pitiful  women  have  sodden 
their  own  children,  they  were  their  meat  in  the  destruc* 
tion  of  the  daughters  of  my  people,'  And  again  it  was 
fulfilled  above  fifteen  hundred  years  after  the  time  of 
Moses  in  the  last  siege  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  and  we 
read  in  Josephus  particularly  of  a  noble  woman's  killing; 
and  eating  her  own  sucking  child.  Moses  saith, '  The 
tender  and  delicate  woman  among  you,  who  would  not 
adventure  to  set  the  sole  of  her  foot  upon  the  ground,  for 
delicateness  and  tenderness  :'  and  there  cannot  be  a  more 
natural  and  lively  description  of  a  woman,  who  was  ac- 
cording to  Josephus  *  illustrious  for  her  family  and  riches. 
Moses  saith,  *  she  shall  eat  them  for  want  of  all  things  :' 
and  according  to  Josephus  she  had  been  plundered  of  all 
her  substance  and  provisions  by  the  tyrants  and  soldiers. 
Moses  saith,  that  she  should  do  it  secretly-  and  according 
to  Josephus,  when  she  had  boiled  and  eaten  half,  she 
covered  up  the  rest,  and  kept  it  for  another  time.  At  so 
many  different  times  and  distant  periods  hath  this  prophe*- 
cy  been  fulfilled ;  and  one  would  have  thought  that  such 
distress  and  horror  had  almost  transcended  imagination, 
and  much  less  that  any  person  would  certainiy  have  fore- 
seen and  foretold  it. 

*  Distinguished  by  her  birth  and  wealth The  tyrants  in- 

deed  bad  by  this  time  pkmdered  ber  of  all  her  substance,  &c. 
Afterwards  having-  dressed  ber  child,  she  devoured  tlie  one  half 
of  him,  and  covering-  up  the  remainder,  sbe  secretly  reserved 
him  for  another  meal.  See  Jewish  wars,  Book  VI.  Chap.  iii. 
Sf-ct.  4,  of  Hudson's  edition. 


130  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

6.  Great  numbers  of  them  were  to  be  destroyed,  ver. 
62.  *  And  ye  shall  be  left  few  in  number,  whereas  ye 
were  as  the  stars  of  heaven  for  multitude.'  Now  not  to 
mention  any  other  of  the  calamities  and  slaughters  which 
they  have  undergone,  there  was  in  the  last  siege  of  Jeru- 
salem by  Titus  an  infinite  multitude,  saith  Josephus,* 
who  perished  by  famine :  and  he  computes,  that  during 
the  whole  siege,  the  number  of  those  who  were  destroyed 
by  that  and  by  the  war  amounted  to  eleven  hundred  thou- 
s.wd,  the  people  being  assembled  fi  om  all  parts  to  cele- 
brate the  passover ;  and  the  same  author  hath  given  us 
an  account  of  one  million  two  hundred  and  forty  thou- 
sand, four  hundred  and  ninety  destroyed  in  Jerusalem 
and  other  parts  of  Judea,  besides  ninety-nine  thousand 
two  hundred  made  prisoners  ;  as  Basnage  t  has  reckoned 
them  up  from  that  historian's  account.  Indeed  there  is 
not  a  nation  upon  earth,  that  hath  been  exposed  to  so 
many  massacres  and  persecutions.  Their  history  abounds 
with  them.  If  God  had  not  given  them  a  promise  of  a 
numerous  posterity,  the  whole  race  would  many  a  time 
have  been  extirpated. 

7.  They  were  to  be  carried  into  Egypt,  and  sold  for 
slaves  at  a  very  low  price,  ver.  68.  *  And  the  Lord  shall 
bring  thee  unto  Egypt  again,  with  ships :  and  there  ye 
shall  be  sold  unto  your  enemies  for  bondmen  and  bond- 
women, and  no  man  shall  buy  you.*  They  had  come  out 
of  Egypt  triumphant,  but  now  they  should  return  thither 
as  slaves.  They  had  walked  through  the  sea  as  dry  land 
at  their  coming  out,  but  now  they  should  be  carried  thither 
in  ships.  They  might  be  carried  thither  in  the  ships  of 
the  Tyrian  or  Sidonian  merchants,  or  by  the  Romans  who 
had  a  fleet  in  the  Mediterranean  :  and  this  was  a  much 
safer  way  of  conveying  so  many  prisoners,  than  sending 

*  But  of  them  who  perished  by  famine  throughout  the  city, 
tliere  was  an  incalculable  multitude.  See  Jewish  wars,  13ook 
YI.  Chap.  iii.  Sect.  3,  page  1274. 

And  during  the  whole  time  of  the  siege,  there  perished  eleven 
hundred  thousand  persons.  See  the  same.  Chap.  ix.  Sect.  3.  page 
1291,  of  Hudson's  edition, 

t  Hist,  of  the  Jews,  Book  I.  Chap.  viii.  Sect.  19.  See  too  the 
conclusion  of  Usher's  Annals. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  131 

them  by  land.  It  appears  from  Josephus  *  that  in  the 
reigns  of  the  two  first  Ptolemies  many  of  the  Jews  were 
slaves  in  Egypt.  And  when  Jerusalem  was  taken  by 
Titus,!  of  the  captives  who  were  above  seventeen  years 
he  sent  many  bound  to  the  works  in  Egypt;  these  under 
seventeen  were  sold :  but  so  little  care  was  taken  of  these 
captives,  that  eleven  thousand  of  them  perished  for  want. 
The  markets  were  quite  overstocked  with  them,  so  that 
Josephus  says  in  another  place,  that  they  were  sold  with 
their  wives  and  children  at  the  lowest  price,  there  being 
many  to  be  sold,  and  but  few  purchasers  ;  so  that  hereby 
also  was  verified  that  of  the  Psalmist,  xliv.  13.  *Thou 
sellest  thy  people  for  nought,  and  takest  no  money  for 
them.'  And  we  learn  from  St.  Jerome,  t  "  that  after 
their  last  overthrow  by  Adrian,  many  thousands  of  them 
were  sold,  and  those  who  could  not  be  sold,  were  trans- 
ported into  Egypt,  and  perished  by  shipwreck  or  famine^ 
or  were  massacred  by  the  inhabitants." 

8.  They  were  to  be  rooted  out  of  their  own  land,  ver. 
63.  <  And  ye  shall  be  plucked  from  off  the  land  whither 
thou  goest  to  possess  it.'  They  were  ixidetd /iluckedfro?}i 
off  their  own  land,  when  the  ten  tribes  were  carried  into 
captivity  by  the  king  of  Assyria,  and  other  nations  were 
planted  in  their  stead ;  and  when  the  two  other  tribes 
were  carried  away  captive  to  Babylon  ;  and  when  the 
Romans  took  away  their  place  and  nation;  besides  other 
captivities  and  transportations  of  the  people.  Afterwards 
when  the  emperor  Adrian  had  subdued  the  rebellious 

*  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  XII.  Chap.  i.  and  ii. 

f  Having  chained  the  males  that  were  above  seventeen  years 
of  age,  he  sent  them  down  to  the  works  which  were  in  Egypt. — 
But  such  of  them  as  were  below  that  age,  he  sold.  While 
Phronton  had  the  charge  of  the  captives,  eleven  thousand  per- 
ished through  want .  See  Jewish  wars.  Book  VI  Chap.  ix.  Sect. 
2,  page  1291,  and  Chap.  viii.  Sect.  2,  page  1288,  of  Hudson's 
edition. 

:|:  After  the  last  destruction,  which  was  brought  upon  them  by 
the  emperor  Adrian,  many  thousands  of  the  Jews  were  sold;  and 
such  of  them  as  could  find  no  purchasers,  were  transported  into 
Egypt.  Of  these  last  many  perished  by  shipwreck,  or  famine,  or 
were  cruelly  massacred  by  the  Egyptians.  See  Jerome  on  Zech. 
XI.  page  1774,  in  the  third  volume  of  the  Benedictine  edition. 


132  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Jews,  be  published  an  edict  *  forbidding  them  upon  pain 
of  death  to  set  foot  in  Jerusalem,  or  even  to  approach  the 
country  round  about  it.  Tertullian  and  Jerome  say,t  that 
they  were  prohibited  from  entering  into  Judea.  From 
that  time  to  this,  their  country  hath  been  in  the  posses- 
sion of  foreign  lords  and  masters,  few  of  the  Jews  dwelling 
in  it,  and  those  only  of  a  low  servile  condition.  Benjamin 
of  Tudela  in  Spain,  a  celebrated  Jew  of  the  twelfth  cen- 
tury, travelled  into  all  parts  to  visit  those  of  his  own  na- 
tion, and  to  learn  an  exact  state  of  their  own  nation,  and 
to  learn  an  exact  state  of  their  affairs :  and  he  \  hath  re- 
ported that  Jerusalem  was  almost  entirely  abandoned  by 
the  Jews.  He  found  there  not  above  two  hundred  per- 
sons, who  were  for  the  most  part  dyers  of  wool,  and  who 
every  year  purchased  the  privilege  of  the  monopoly  of 
that  trade.  They  lived  all  together  under  David's  tower, 
and  made  there  a  very  little  figure.  If  Jerusalem  had 
so  few  Jews  in  it,  the  rest  of  the  holy  land  was  still  more 
depopulated.  He  found  two  of  them  in  one  city,  twenty 
in  another,  most  whereof  were  dyers.  In  other  places 
there  were  more  persons  ;  but  in  upper  Galilee,  where 
the  nation  was  in  greatest  repute  after  the  ruin  of  Jeru- 
salem, he  found  hardly  any  Jews  at  all.  A  very  accu- 
rate and  faithful  traveller  §  of  our  own  nation,  who  was 
himself  also  in  the  holy  land,  saith,  that  "  it  is  for  the  most 
part  now  inhabited  by  Moors  and  Arabians  ;  those  pos- 
sessing the  vallies,  and  these  the  mountains.  Turks 
there  be  few  :  but  many  Greeks  with  other  Christians  of 
all  sects  and  nations,  such  as  impute  to  the  J)lace  an  ad- 
herent holiness.  Here  be  also  some  Jews,  yet  inherit 
they  no  part  of  the  land,  but  in  their  own  country  do  live 
as  aliens.*' 

*  See  TertuUian's  Apology,  Chap.  xxi.  page  19,  in  Rlgaut's 
edition,  printed  at  Paris  in  1675.  See  also  Jerome  on  Isa.  vi. 
page  65,  and  upon  Daniel,  Chap,  ix,  page  1117,  in  the  third  vo- 
lume of  the  Benedictine  edition. 

t  See  Benjamin  of  Tudela's  Itinerary,  and  Basnage's  History 
of  the  Jews,  Book  YII.  Chap.  vii. 

+  See  Justin  Martyr's  Apology,  page  71,  of  Thirlbiiis'  edition, 
and  Eusebius'  Church  History,  Book  IV.  Chap  vi 

§  See  Sandy's  Travels,  Book  III.  page  114,  of  the  seventh  edi- 
tion. 


THE  PROniEClES.  133 

9.  But  they  were  not  only  to  be  plucked  ott' from  their 
>\vn  h\ncl,  but  also  to  be  dispersed  into  all  nations,  ver.  25. 
And  thou  shalt  be  removed  into  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 

earth;'  and  again  ver.  64.  'And  the  Lord  sliall  scatter 
thee  among  all  people,  from  one  end  of  the  earth  even  to 
the  other.*  Nehemiah  i.  8,  9.  confesseth  that  these 
words  were  fulfilled  in  the  Babylonish  captivity ;  but  they 
have  more  amply  been  fulfilled  since  the  great  dispersion 
of  the  Jews  by  the  Romans.  What  people  indeed  have 
been  scattered  so  far  and  wide  as  they  ?  and  where  is  the 
nation,  which  is  a  stranger  to  them,  or  to  which  they  are 
strangers  ?  They  swarm  in  many  parts  of  the  East,  are 
spread  through  most  of  the  countries  of  Europe  and  Af- 
rica, and  there  arc  several  families  of  them  in  the  West 
Indies.  They  circulate  through  all  parts  where  trade 
and  money  circulate  ;  and  are,  as  I  may  say,  the  brokers 
of  the  whole  world. 

10.  But  though  they  should  be  so  dispersed,  yet  they 
should  not  be  totally  destroyed,  but  still  subsist  as  a  dis- 
tinct people,  as  Moses  had  before  foretold,  Lev.  xxvi.  44. 
'And  yet  for  all  that,  when-they  be  in  the  land  of  their 
enemies,  I  will  not  cast  them  away,  neither  will  I  abhor 
them,  to  destroy  them  utterly,  and  break  my  covenant 
with  them.'  The  Jewish  nation,*  like  the  bush  of  Mo- 
ses, hath  been  always  burning,  but  is  never  consumed. — 
And  what  a  marvellous  thing  is  it,  that  after  so  many 
wars,  battles  and  sieges,  after  so  many  fires,  famines,  and 
pestilences,  after  so  many  rebellions,  massacres,  and  per- 
secutions, after  so  many  years  of  captivity,  slavery  and 
misery,  they  are  not  destroyed  utterly f  and  though  scat- 
tered among  all  people,  yet  subsist  as  a  distinct  people  by 
themselves  l  Where  is  any  thing  comparable  to  this  to  be 
found  in  all  the  histories,  and  in  all  the  nations  under  the 
sun  ? 

1 1.  However,  they  should  suffer  much  in  their  disper- 
sion, and  should  not  rest  long  in  any  place,  ver.  65.  *  And 
among  these  nations  shalt  thou  find  no  ease,  neither  shall 
the  sole  of  thy  foot  have  rest.'  They  have  been  so  far 
from  finding  rest,  that  they  have  been  banished  from  city 
to  city,  from  country  to  country.     In  many  places  they 

*  See  Basnage's  History  of  the^Jews,  Book  YI.  Chap.  I.  Sect.  1. 
VOL.    L  M 


134  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

have  been  banished  and  recalled,  and  banished  again.  We 
will  only  just  mention  their  great  banishments  in  modern 
times,  and  from  countries  very  well  known.  In  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  thirteenth  century,  they*  were  banished 
from  England  by  Edward  I,  and  were  not  permitted  to 
return  and  settle  again  till  Cromwell's  time.  In  the  lat- 
ter end  of  the  fourteenth  century  theyf  were  banished 
from  France  (for  the  seventh  time,  says  Mezeray)  by 
Charles  VI ;  and  ever  since  they  had  been  only  tolerated, 
they  have  not  enjoyed  entire  liberty  except  at  Metz  where 
they  have  a  synagogue.  In  the  latter  end  of  the  fifteenth 
century  they  ^  were  banished  from  Spain  by  Ferdinand 
and  Isabella  ;  and  according  to  Mariana,  there  were  a 
hundred  and  seventy  thousand  families,  or  as  some  say, 
eii^ht  hundred  thousand  persons  who  left  the  kingdom ; 
Most  of  them  paid  dearly  to  John  II.  for  a  refuge  in  Por- 
tugal, but  within  a  few  years  were  expelled  from  thence 
also  by  his  successor  Emanuel.  And  in  our  own  time, 
within  these  few  years,  they  were  banished  from  Prague 
by  the  queen  of  Bohemia. 

12.  They  should  be  op/iressed  and  spoiled  evermore; 
and  their  houses  and  vineyards.^  their  oxen  and  asses 
should  be  taken  from  them,  and  they  should  be  only  ofi- 
firessed  and  crushed  always,  ver.  29,  &c.  And  what  fre- 
quent seizures  have  been  made  of  their  effects  in  almost  all 
countries  ?  how  often  have  they  been  fined  and  fleeced  by 
almost  all  governments  ?  how  often  have  they  been  forc- 
ed to  redeem  their  lives  with  what  is  almost  as  dear  as 
their  lives,  their  treasure  ?  Instances  are  innumerable. — 
We  will  only  cite  an  historian  §  of  our  own,  who  says 
that  Henry  III,  "  always  polled  the  Jews  at  every  low  ebb 
of  his  fortunes.  One  Abraham,  who  was  found  delin- 
quent, was  forced  to  pay  seven  hundred  marks  for  his  re- 
demption. Aaron,  another  Jew,  protested  that  the  king 
had  taken  from  him  at  times  thirty  thousand  marks  of 

*  See  Kennet,  Echard,  and  Basnage's  History  of  the  Jews, 
Book  VII.  Chap.  xix. 

f  The  Jews  were  ordered  to  depart  for  the  seventh  time,  8cc. 
See  Mezeray's  Chronological  abridgement,  and  Basnage,  Book 
VII.  Chap,  xviii. 

t  See  Mariana's  History  of  Spain,  Book  XXVI.  Chap.  i.  and  vi. 
See  also  Basnage,  Book  VII.  xxi. 

§  See  Daniel  in  Kennet,  Vol.  I.  page  179. 


THE  I'ROPHECIES.  1 35 

silver,  besides  two  hundred  marks  of  gold,  Avhich  he  had 
presented  to  the  queen.  And  in  like  manner  used  many 
others  of  the  Jews."  And  when  they  were  banished  in 
the  reign  of  Edward  I,  their  estates  were  confiscated  and 
immense  sums  thereby  accrued  to  the  crown. 

1 3.  *  Their  sons  and  their  daughters  should  be  given 
unto  another  people,'  ver.  32.  And  in  several  countries, 
in  Spain  and  Portugal  particularly,  their  children  have 
been  taken  from  them  by  order  of  the  government  to  be 
educated  in  the  Popish  religion.  The  fourth  council  *  of 
Toledo  ordered,  that  all  their  children  should  be  taken 
from  them  for  fear  they  should  partake  of  their  errors, 
and  that  they  should  be  shut  up  in  monasteries,  to  be 
instructed  in  the  christian  truths.  And  when  they  were 
banished  from  Portugal,  "the  king,"  says  Mariana,! 
"ordered  all  their  children,  under  14  years  of  age,  to 
be  taken  from  them,  and  baptized  :  a  practice  not  at  all 
justifiable,"  adds  the  historian,  "  because  none  ought  to 
be  forced  to  become  christians,  nor  children  to  be  taken 
from  their  parents." 

14.  *They  should  be  mad  for  the  sight  of  their  eyes 
which  they  should  see,'  ver.  34.  And  into  what  madness, 
fury,  and  desperation  have  they  been  pushed  by  the  cruel 
usage,  extortions,  and  oppressions  which  they  have  un- 
dergone ?  We  will  allege  only  two  similar  instances,  one 
from  ancient,  and  one  from  modern  history.  After  the 
destruction  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,|  some  of  tlie  worst  of 
the  Jews  took  refuge  in  the  castle  of  Masada,  where  being 
closely  besieged  by  the  Romans,  they  at  the  persuasion 
of  Eleazar  their  leader,  first  murdered  their  wives  and 
children ;  then  ten  men  were  chosen  by  lot  to  slay  the 
rest ;  this  being  done,  one  of  the  ten  was  chosen  in  like 
manner  to  kill  the  other  nine,  which  having  executed  he 
set  fire  to  the  'place,  and  then  stabbed  himself.  There 
were  nine  hundred  and  sixty  who  perished  in  this  mise- 
rable manner  ;  and  only  two  women,  and  five  boys  escaped 
by  hiding  themselves  in  the  aqueducts  under  ground, 

*  See  Basnage,  Book  VII.  Chap.  xii.  Sect.  14. 
f  See  Mariana's  History  of  Spain,  Book  XXVI.  Chap.  vi. 
i  See  Josephus*  Jewish  wars,  Book  VII.  Chap,  viii,  and  ix,  of 
Hudson's  edition. 


136  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Such  another  instance  we  have  in  our  English  history.* 
For  in  the  reign  of  Richard  the  first,  when  the  people 
were  in  arms  to  make  a  general  massacre  of  them,  fifteen 
hundred  of  them  seized  on  the  city  of  York  to  defend 
themselves  ;  but  being  besieged,  they  offered  to  capitu- 
late, and  to  ransom  their  lives  with  money.  The  offer 
being  refused,  one  of  them  cried  in  despair,  that  it  was 
better  to  die  courageously  for  the  law,  than  to  lull  into 
the  hands  of  the  Christians.  Everyone  immediately  took 
his  knife,  and  stabbed  his  wife  and  children.  7he  men 
afterwards  retired  into  the  king's  palace  which  they  set  on 
lire,  in  which  they  consumed  themselves  with  the  palace 
and  furniture. 

15.  '  They  should  serve  other's  gods,  wood  and  stone,* 
ver.  36  ;  and  again  ver.  64. '  they  should  serve  other  gods, 
which  neither  they  nor  their  fathers  had  known,  even 
wood  and  stone.*  And  is  it  not  too  common  for  the  Jews 
in  popish  countries  to  comply  with  the  idolatrous  worship 
of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  to  bow  down  to  stocks  and 
stones  rather  than  their  effects  should  be  seized  and  con- 
fiscated ?  Here  again  we  must  cite  the  author,  who  hath 
most  studied,  and  hath  best  written  their  modern  history, 
and  whom  we  have  had  occasion  to  quote  several  times 
in  this  discourse.  "  The  Spanish  and  Portugal  Inqijisi- 
(ions,  saith  he,t  reduce  them  to  the  dilemma  of  being 
either  hypocrites  or  burnt.  The  number  of  these  dis- 
semblers is  very  considerable  :  and  it  ought  not  to  be 
concluded,  that  there  are  no  Jews  in  Spain  or  Portugal, 
because  they  are  not  known  :  They  are  so  much  the  more 
dangerous,  for  not  only  being  very  numerous,  but  con- 
founded with  the  ecclesiastics,  and  entering  into  all  ec- 
clesiastical dignities."  In  another  place  he  saith,±  "  The 
most  surprising  thing  is,  that  this  religion  spreads  from 
generation  to  generation,  and  still  subsists  in  the  persons 
of  dissemblers  in  a  remote  posterity.  In  vain  the  great 
lords  of  Spain  §  7nake  alliaiices^  change  their  nuDicny  and 


*  See  Basnage,  Book  YII.  Chap.  x.  Sect.  20,  who  cites  Mat« 
ihew  Pai'is,  page  111,  and  Polydon  Virgil,  Book  XI VT  page  248. 
t  See  Basnage,  Book  VII.  Cliap.  xxxiii.  Sect.  14. 
4:  See  Book  Vll.  Ciiap.  xxi.  Sect.  26. 
§  See  Limborch's  conference  with  a  Jew,  page  102. 


HIE  PKOPimCIES.  137 

take  ancient  scutcheons;  they  are  still  knoivn  to  be  of 
Jeiviah  race,  and  Jews  themselves.  The  convents  of  nionks 
and  Tiuns  are  full  of  them.  Most  of  the  canons,  inqui- 
sitors, and  disho/is  firoceed  from  this  nation.  This  is 
enough  to  make  the  people  and  clergy  of  this  country 
tremble,  since  such  sort  of  churchmen  can  only  pro- 
fane the  sacraments,  and  want  intention  in  consecrating 
the  host  they  adore.  In  the  mean  time  Orobio,  who 
relates  the  fact,  knew  these  dissemblers.  He  was  one 
of  them  himself,  and  bent  the  knee  before  the  sacra- 
ment. Moreover  he  brings  proofs  of  his  assertion,  in 
maintaining,  that  there  are  in  the  synagogue  of  Amster- 
dam, brothers  and  sisters,  and  near  relations  to  good 
families  of  Spain  and  Portugal ;  and  even  Franciscan 
monks,  Dominicans  and  Jesuits,  who  came  to  do  penance, 
and  make  amends  for  the  crime  they  have  committed  in 
dissembling.** 

16.  '  They  should  become  an  astonishment,  a  proverb, 
and  a  by-word  among  all  nations,*  vcr.  37.  And  do  we 
not  hear  and  see  this  prophecy  fulfilled  almost  every  day: 
is  not  the  avarice,  usury,  and  hard  heartedness  of  a  Jew 
grown  proverbial?  and  are  not  their  persons  generally 
odious  among  all  sorts  of  people  ?  Mahommedans,  Hea- 
thens, and  Christians,  however  they  may  disagree  in  other 
points,  yet  generally  agree  in  vilifying,  abusing,  and  per- 
secuting the  Jews.  In  most  places  where  they  are  tole- 
rated, they  are  obliged  to  live  in  a  separate  quarter  by 
themselves,  (as  they  did  here  in  the  Old  Jewry)  and  to 
wear  some  badge  of  distinction.  Their  very  countenances 
commonly  distinguish  them  from  the  rest  of  mankind. 
They  are  in  all  respects  treated,  as  if  they  were  of  ano- 
ther species.  And  when  a  great  master  of  nature  would 
draw  the  portrait  of  a  Jew,  how  detestable  a  character 
hath  he  represented  in  the  person  of  his  Jeiv  of  Venice  ! 
0  17.  Finally,  *  Their  plagues  should  be  wonderful,  even 
great  plagues,  and  of  long  continuance,*  ver.  59.  And 
have  not  their  plagues  continued  now  these  1700  years? 
Their  former  captivities  were  very  short  in  comparison : 
And  Ezekiel*  and  Daniel  prophecied  in  the  land  of  the 
Chaldeans :  but  now  they  have  no  true  prophet  to  foretel 

♦  See  Basna^e,  Book  "VI.  Chap.  i.  Sect.  2. 

M  2 


138  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

an  end  of  their  calamities,  they  have  only  false  Messiahs 
to  delude  them  and  aggravate  their  misfortunes.  In  their 
former  captivities  they  had  the  comfort  of  being  convey- 
ed to  tlie  same  place  ;  they  dwelt  together  in  the  land  of 
Goshen,  they  were  carried  together  to  Babylon ;  but  now 
they  are  dispersed  all  over  the  fuce  of  the  earth.  What 
nation  hath  suflered  so  much,  and  yet  endured  so  long? 
•what  nation  hath  subsisted  as  a  distinct  people  in  their 
own  country,  so  long  as  these  have  done  in  their  disper- 
sion into  all  countries?  and  ^\^hat  a  standing  miracle  is 
this  exhibited  to  the  view  and  observation  of  the  whole 
■world? 

Here  are  instances  of  prophecies,  prophecies  delivered 
above  three  thousand  years  ago,  and  yet  as  we  see,  fulfill- 
ing in  the  world  at  this  very  time:  and  what  stronger 
proofs  can  we  desire  of  the  divine  legation  of  Moses? 
How  these  instances  may  affect  others,  I  know  not :  but 
for  myself  I  must  acknowledge,  they  not  only  convince, 
but  amaze  and  astonish  me  beyond  expression.  They 
are  truly,  as  Moses  foretold  they  would  be,  '  a  sign  and  a 
wonder  for  ever,'  vcr.  45,  46.  '  Moreover  all  these  curses 
shall  come  upon  thee,  and  shall  pursue  thee  and  over- 
take thee,  till  thou  be  destroyed  ;  because  thou  hearken- 
edst  not  unto  the  voice  of  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  keep  bis 
commandments,  and  his  statutes  which  he  commanded 
thee:  and  they  shall  be  upon  thee  for  a  sign  and  for  a 
wonder,  and  upon  thy  seed  for  ever.* 


YIlY. 

TROPHECIES  OF  THE  PROPHETS  CONCERNING 
THE  JEWS. 

BESIDES  the  prophecies  of  Moses,  there  are  others 
of  other  prophets,  relative  to  the  present  state  and  con- 
dition of  the  Jews.  Such  are  those  particularly  concern- 
ing the  restoration  of  the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and*  Benja- 
min from  captivity,  and  the  dissolution  of  the  ten  tribes 
of  Israel;  and  those  concerning  the  preservation  of  ihe 
Jews,  and  the  destruction  of  their  enemies;  and  those  con- 
cerning  the  desolation  of  Judea;  and  those  concerning  the 


THb:  PIlOPilliClES.  139 

infidelity  and  reprobation  of  the  Jews ;  and  those  con- 
cerning the  calling  and  obedience  of  the  Gentiles.  And 
it  may  be  pioper  to  say  something  upon  each  of  these 
topics. 

I.  It  was  foretold,  that  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel  should 
be  carried  captive  by  the  kings  of  Assyria,  and  that  the 
two  remaining  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin  should  be 
carried  captive  by  the  king  of  Babylon:  but  with  this 
diftVrence,  that  the  two  tribes  should  be  restored  and  re- 
turn from  their  captivity,  but  the  ten  tribes  should  be 
diiisolved  and  lost  in  theirs.  Nay,  not  only  the  captivity 
and  restoration  of  the  two  tribes  were  foretold,  but  the 
precise  time  of  their  captivity  and  restoration  was  also 
prefixed  and  determined  by  the  jn'ophet  Jeremiah:  xxv. 
11.'  This  whole  land  shall  be  a  desolation,  and  an  aston- 
ishment; and  these  nations  shall  serve  the  king  of  Baby- 
lon, seventy  yeai's:'  and  again,  xxix.  10.  '  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  that  after  seventy  years  be  accomplished  at  Babylon, 

1  will  visit  you,  and  perform  my  good  word  towards  you, 
in  causing  you  to  return  to  this  place.*  This  prophecy 
was  delivered,  Jer.  xxv.  1.  *in  the  fourth  year  of  Jehoia- 
kim  the  son  of  Josiah  king  of  Judah,  that  was  the  first 
year  of  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon.*  And  this  same 
year  *  it  began  to  be  put  in  execution;  for  Nebuchadnez- 
zar invaded  Judea,  besieged  and  took  Jerusalem,  made 
Jehoiakim  his  subject  and  tributary,  transported  the  finest 
children  of  the  royal  family  and  of  the  nobility  to  Baby- 
lon to  be  bred  up  there  for  eunuchs  and  slaves  in  his 
palace,  and  also  carried  away  the  vessels  of  the  house  cf 
the  Lord,  and  put  them  in  the  temple  of  his  god  at  Ba- 
bylon. Seventy  years  from  this  time  will  bring  us  down 
to  the  first  year  of  Cyrus,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  22.  Ezra  i.  I. 
when  he  made  his  proclamation  for  the  restoration  of  the 
Jews,  and  for  the  rebuilding  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem. 
I'he  computation  of  the  seventy  years  captivity  appears 
to  be  the  truest,  and  most  agreeable  to  scripture.  But  if 
you  fix  the  commencement  of  these  seventy  years  at  the 
time  when  Jerusalem  was  burnt  and  destroyed,  their 
conclusion  f  will  fall  about  the  time  when  Darius  issued 

*  See  Usher,  Prideaux,and  the  Commentators  on  2King'sxxiv. 

2  Chion.  xxxvi.  and  Dan.  i. 

T  See  Pridcaux  Connectlon.s,  Anno  518,  and  fourth  of  Darius 


140  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

his  decree  for  rebuilding  the  temple,  after  the  work  had 
been  stoptand  suspended.  Or  if  you  fix  their  commence- 
ment at  the  time  when  Nebuzaradan  carried  away  the 
last  remainder  of  the  people,  and  completed  the  desolation 
of  the  land,  their  conclusion  *  will  fall  about  the  time  when 
the  temple  was  finished  and  dedicated,  and  the  first  pass- 
over  was  solemnized  in  it.  "  So  that,"  as  Dean  Prideaux 
says,  "  taking  it  which  way  you  will,  and  what  stage  you 
please,  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah  will  be  fully  and  exact- 
ly accomplished  concerning  this  matter."  It  may  be  said 
to  have  been  accomplished  at  three  different  times,  and 
in  three  different  manners,  and  therefore  possibly  all 
might  have  been  intended,  though  the  first  without  doubt 
was  the  principal  object  of  the  prophecy. 

But  the  case  was  different  with  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel. 
It  is  well  known  that  Ephraim  being  the  chief  of  the  ten 
tribes  is  often  put  for  all  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel ;  and  it 
was  predicted  by  Isaiah,  vii.  8.  '  Within  threescore  and 
five  years  shall  Ephraim  be  broken,  that  it  be  not  a  peo- 
ple.' This  prophecy  was  delivered  in  the  first  year  of 
Ahaz  king  of  Judah  ;  for  in  the  latter  end  of  his  father 
Jotham's  reign,  2  Kings  xv.  37.  Rezin  king  of  Syria 
and  Pekah  king  of  Israel  began  their  expedition  against 
Judah.  They  went  up  towards  Jerusalem  to  war  against 
it  in  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Ahaz  ;  and  it  was  to 
comfort  him  and  the  house  of  David  in  these  difficulties 
and -distresses,  that  the  prophet  Isaiah  was  commissioned 
to  assure  him,  that  the  kings  of  Syria  and  Israel  should 
remain  only  the  heads  of  their  respective  cities,  they 
should  not  prevail  against  Jerusalem,  and  within  sixty 
and  five  years  Israel  should  be  broken  as  to  be  no  more  a 
people.  The  learned  Vitringat  is  of  opmion,  that  the 
text  is  corrupted,  and  that  instead  of  sixty  and  five  it 
was  originally  sixteen  and  five.  Sixteen  and  ^ve,  as  he 
confesseth,  is  an  odd  way  of  computation  for  one  and 
twenty  ;  but  it  designs  perfectly  the  years  of  Ahaz  and 
Hezekiah.  For  Ahaz  reigned  sixteen  years,  and  Heze- 
kiah  ^/ive  years  alone,  having  reigned  one  year  jointly 
with  his  father  ;  and  it  was  in  the  sixth  year  of  Hezekiah ^ 

*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Anno  51^,  and  7  of  Darius. 
t  See  his  Commentury  on  the  passage. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  141 

2  kings  xviii.  10,  11.  that  Shalmancficr  took  Samaria^  and 
carried  aivaij  Israel  unto  Jfisyria.  Then  indeed  the  kin£^- 
dom  of  Israel  was  broken  :  and  the  conjecture  of  Vitringa 
would  appear  much  more  probable,  if  it  could  be  proved 
that  it  had  ever  been  usual  to  write  the  number  or  dates 
of  years  partly  in  words  at  length,  and  partly  in  numeral 
letters.  But  without  recourse  to  such  an  expedient  the 
thing  may  be  explicated  otherwise.  For  from  the  first  of 
Ahaz  *  compute  sixty  and  five  years  in  the  reigns  of 
Ahaz,  Hezekiah,  and  Manasseh,the  end  of  them  will  fall 
about  the  22d  year  of  Manasseh,  when  Esarhaddon  king 
of  Assyria  made  the  last  deportation  of  the  Israelites,  and 
planted  other  nations  in  their  stead  ;  and  in  the  same  ex- 
pedition probably  took  Manasseh  captive,  2  Chron.  xxxiii. 
1 1.  and  carried  him  to  Babylon.  It  is  said  expressly  that 
it  was  Esarhaddon  who  planted  the  other  nations  in  the 
cities  of  Samaria:  but  it  is  not  said  expressly  in  scrip- 
ture, that  he  carried  away  the  remainder  of  the  people, 
but  it  may  be  inferred  from  several  circumstances  of  the 
story.  There  were  other  deportations  of  the  Israelites 
made  by  the  kings  of  Assyria  before  this  time.  In  the 
reign  of  Ahaz,  Tiglathpilezer  took  many  of  the  Israelites, 
*even  the  Reubenites,  and  the  Gadites,  and  the  half  tribe 
of  Manasseh,  and  all  the  land  of  NapJitali,  and  carried 
them  captive  to  Assyria,  and  biought'them  unto  Halah, 
and  Habor,  and  Hara,  and  to  the  river  Gozan.'  1  Chron. 
V.  26.  2  Kings  xv.  29.  His  son  Shalmaneser,  in  the  reign 
of  Hezekiah,  took  Samaria,  and  carried  away  still  greater 
numbers  '  unto  Assyria,  and  put  them  in  Halah  and  in 
Habor  by  the  river  of  Gozan,'  (the  same  places  whither 
their  brethren  had  been  carried  before  them)  *  and  in  the 
cities  of  the  Medes.'  2  Kini2:s  xviii.  11.  His  son  Senna- 
cherib came  up  also  against  Hezekiah,  and  all  the  fenced 
cities  of  Judah;  but  his  army  was  miraculously  defeated, 
and  he  himself  was  forced  to  return  with  shame  and  dis- 
grace into  his  own  country,  where  he  was  murdered  by 
two  of  his  sons,  2  Kings  xviii.  19.  Another  of  his  sons, 
Esarhaddon  succeeded  him  in  the  throne,  but  it  was  some 
time  before  he  could  recover  his  kingdom  from  these 
disorders,  and  think  of  reducing  Syria  and  Palestine  again 

*  See  Usher,  I'ricleaitx,  &c. 


142  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

to  his  obedience :  and  then  it  was,  and  not  till  then,  that 
he  completed  the  ruin  of  the  ten  tribes,  carried  away  the 
remains  of  the  people,  and  to  prevent  the  land  from  be- 
coming desolate,  'brought  men  from  Babylon,  and  from 
Cuthah,  and  from  Havah,  and  from  Hamath,  and  from  Sep- 
harvaim,  and  placed  them  in  the  cities  of  Samaria,  instead 
of  the  children  of  Israel,'  Ezra  iv.  2,  10.  2  Kings  xvii.  24. 
Ephraim  was  broken  from  being  a  kingdom  before,  but 
now  he  was  broken  from  being  a  people.  And  from  that 
time  to  this  what  account  can  be  given  of  the  people  of 
Israel  as  distinct  from  the  people  of  Judah  ?  where  have 
they  subsisted  all  this  while  ?  and  where  is  their  situation, 
or  what  is  their  condition  at  present  ? 

We  see  plainly  that  they  were  placed  in  Assyria  and 
Media;  and  if  they  subsisted  any  where,  one  would  ima- 
gine they  might  be  found  there  in  the  greatest  abundance. 
But  authors  have  generally  sought  for  them  elsewhere : 
and  the  visionary  writer  of  the  second  book  of  Esdras, 
xiii.  40,  8cc.  hath  asserted  that  they  took  a  resolution  of 
retiring  from  the  Gentiles,  and  of  going  into  a  country, 
which  had  never  been  inhabited  ;  that  the  river  Euphrates 
was  miraculously  divided  for  their  passage,  and  they  pro- 
ceeded in  their  journey  a  year  and  a  half,  before  they  a- 
rived  at  this  country,  which  was  called  Arsareth.  But  the 
worst  of  it  is,  as  this  country  was  unknown  before,  so  it 
hath  been  equally  unknown  ever  since.  It  is  to  be  found 
no  where  but  in  this  apocryphal  book,  which  is  so  wild 
and  fabulous  in  other  respects,  that  it  deserves  no  credit 
in  this  particular.  Benjamin  ofTudela,  a  Jew  of  the  12th 
century,  *  hath  likewise  assigned  them  a  large  and  spa- 
cious country  witli  fine  cities ;  but  nobody  knoweth  to 
this  day  where  it  is  situated.  Eldad,  another  Jew  of  the 
thirteenth  century,  had  placed  them  in  Ethiopia  and  I 
know  not  where,  and  hath  made  the  Saracens  and  twenty- 
five  kingdoms  tributary  to  them.  Another  Jewish  writer, 
Peritful  of  Ferrara,  who  lived  in  the  century  before  the 
last,  hath  given  them  kingdoms  in  a  country  called  Per- 
richa,  inclosed  by  unknown  mountains,  and  bounded  by 
Assyria,  and  likewise  in  the  deserts  of  Arabia,  and  even 

*  For  these  particulars,  the  reader  may   consult   Casnage's 
History  of  the  Jews,  Book  Yl.  Chap,  ii,  andiii. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  143 

in  the  East  Indies.  Manasseh,  a  famous  rabbi  of  the 
last  century,  and  others  have  asserted,  that  they  passed 
into  Tartary,  and  expelled  the  Scythians  ;  and  others  a- 
gain  from  Tartary  have  conveyed  them  into  America. — 
But  all  these  differing  accounts  prove  nothing  but  the 
great  uncertainty  that  there  is  in  this  matter.  The  best 
of  them  are  only  conjectures  without  any  solid  founda- 
tion, but  most  of  them  were  manifest  forgeries  of  the  Jews 
to  aggrandize  their  nation. 

The  difficulty  of  finding  out  the  habitations  of  the  ten 
tribes  hath  induced  others  *  to  maintain,  that  they  return- 
ed into  their  own  country  with  the  other  two  tribes  after 
the  Babylonish  captivity.  The  decree  indeed  of  Cyrus 
extended  to  all  the  fieople  of  God,  Ezra  i.  3.  and  that  of 
Artaxerxes  to  ail  the  /leo/ile  0/ Israel;  vii.  13.  and  no 
doubt  many  of  the  Israelites  took  advantage  of  these  de- 
crees, and  returned  with  Zerubbabel  and  Ezra  to  their 
own  cities :  but  still  the  main  body  of  the  ten  tribes  re- 
mained behind.  Ezra,  who  should  best  know,  saith  that 
there  rose  ufi  of  the  chief  of  the  fathers  of  Judah  and  Ben' 
jamin^  i.  5.  and  he  calleth  the  Samaritans  the  adversaries 
of  Judah  and  Benjamin;  iv.  i.  these  two  tribes  were  the 
principals,  the  others  were  only  as  accessories.  And  if 
they  did  not  return  at  this  time,  they  cannot  be  supposed 
to  have  returned  in  a  body  at  any  time  after  this  :  for  we 
read  of  no  such  adventure  in  history,  we  know  neither 
the  time  nor  occasion  of  their  return,  nor  who  were  their 
generals  or  leaders  in  this  expedition.  Josephus,  who 
saw  his  country  for  several  years  in  as  flourishing  a  condi- 
tion as  at  any  time  since  the  captivity,  affirms,  that  Ezraf 

*  See  Calmet's  two  Dissertations,  1st.  Concerning  the  country 
Into  which  the  ten  tribes  were  carried,  and  concerning  the  pres- 
ent place  of  their  abode.  Vol.  HI.  and  2,  An  inquiiy,  whether 
the  ten  tribes  have  returned  from  their  captivity,  into  the  land 
of  Israel.     Vol.  VI. 

f  He  (Ezra,)  indeed  sent  a  copy  of  it,  (the  degree,)  into  Me« 
dia,  to  all  the  people  of  his  nation, — when  as  many  as  were  actu- 
ated by  a  desire  of  returning  to  Jerusalem,  betook  themselves 
with  tiieir  eiiects  to  Babylon.  .But  the  great  bulk  of  the  Israel- 
ites remained  scattered  over  that  country,  so  that  two  only  of  the 
tribes  live  in  Asia  and  Europe  underthe  Roman  dominion.  Where- 
as the  ten  remaining  tribes,  at  present  are  settled  beyond  the 


144  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

sent  a  copy  of  the  decree  of  Artaxerxes  to  all  of  the  same 
nation  throughout  Media,  where  the  ten  tribes  lived  in 
captivity,  and  many  of  them  came  with  their  effects  to 
Babylon,  desiring  to  return  to  Jerusalem :  but  the  main 
body  of  the  Israelites  abode  in  that  region  :  and  there- 
fore it  hath  happened,  said  he,  that  there  are  two  tribes 
in  Asia  and  Europe,  living  in  subjection  to  the  Romans : 
but  the  ten  tribes  are  beyond  the  Euphrates  to  this  time  : 
and  then  addeth  with  the  vanity  of  a  Jew  speaking  of  his 
countrymen,  that  they  were  so  many  myriads,  that  they 
could  not  be  numbered. 

Others,  finding  no  good  authority  for  admitting  that 
the  ten  tribes  of  Israel  wer^e  restored  in  the'same  manner 
as  the  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  *  have  therefore 
asserted,  that  "the  ten  tribes  of  Israel,  which  had  separa- 
ted from  the  house  of  David,  were  brought  to  a  full  and 
utter  destruction,  and  never  after  recovered  themselves 
again.  For  those  who  were  thus  carried  away  (except- 
ing only  some  few,  who  joining  themselves  to  the  Jews  in 
the  land  of  their  captivity  returned  with  them)  soon  go- 
ing into  the  usages,  and  idolatry  of  the  nations,  among 
whom  they  were  planted,  (to  which  they  were  too  much 
addicted,  while  in  their  own  land,)  after  a  while  became 
wholly  absorbed,  and  swallowed  up  in  them,  and  thence 
utterly  losing  their  name,  their  language,  and  their  me- 
morial, were  never  after  any  more  spoken  of."  But  if 
the  whole  race  of  Israel  became  thus  extinct,  and  perish- 
ed for  ever,  how  can  the  numerous  prophecies  be  fulfill- 
ed, which  promise  the  future  conversion  and  restoration 
of  Israel  as  well  as  of  Judah  ? 

The  truth  I  conceive  to  lie  between  these  two  opinion^ 
Neither  did  they  all  return  to  Jerusalem,  neither  did  all, 
who  remained  behind,  comply  with  the  idolatry  of  the 
Gentiles,  among  whom  they  lived.  But  whether  they  re- 
mained, or  whether  they  returned,  this  prophecy  of  Isaiah 
*vvas  still  fulfilled ;  the  kingdom,  the  commonwealth,  the 

Kuphrates  and  compose  an  infinite  and  incalculable  number  of 
people.  See  Antiquities,  Book  XI.  Chap.  v.  Sect.  2.  page  482, 
<>i'  Hudson's  edition. 

*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  I.  Year  677,  and 
22,  of  Manassch. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  14 j 

state  of  Israel  was  utterly  broken  ;  they  no  longer  subsis- 
ted as  81  distinct  people  from  Judah,  they  no  longer  main- 
tained a  separate  religion,  they  joined  themselves  to  the 
Jews  from  whom  they  had  been  unhappily  divided,  they 
lost  the  name  of  Israel  as  a  name  of  distinction  and  were 
thenceforth  all  in  common  called  Jews.     It  appears  from 
the  book  of  Esther,  that  there  were  great  numbers  of  Jews 
in  all  the  hundred  twenty  and  seven  provinces  of  the  king- 
dom of  Ahasuerus  or  Artaxerxes  Longimanus,  king  of 
Persia,  and  they  could  not  all  be  the  remains  of  the  two 
tribes  of  Judah  and  Benjamin,  who  had  refused  to  return 
to  Jerusalem  with  their  brethren  ;  they  must  many  of 
them  have  been  the  descendants  of  the  ten  tribes  whora 
the  kings  of  Assyria  had  carried  away  captive  ;  but  yet 
they  are  all  spoken  of  as  one  and  the  same  people,  and 
all  without  distinction  are  denominated  Jews.      We  read 
in  the  acts  of  the  Apostles,  ii.  9.  that  there  came  to  Jeru- 
salem to  celebrate  the  feast  of  Pentecost '  Parthians,  and 
Medes,  and  Elamites,  and  the  dwellers  in  Mesopotamia  :* 
these   men  came  from  the  countries,  wherein   the  ten 
tribes  had  been  placed,  and  in  all  probability  therefore 
were  some  of  their  posterity  ;  but  yet  these  as  well  as  the 
rest  are  styled,  ver.  5.  *  Jews,  devout  men,  out  of  every 
nation  under  heaven.'      Those  likewise  of  the  ten  tribes 
who  returned  to  Jerusalem,  united  with  the  two  tribes  of 
Judah  and  Benjamin,  and  formed  but  one  nation,  one  bo- 
dy of  Jews  ;  they  might  for  some  ages  perhaps  preserve 
their  genealogies ;  but  they  are  now  incorporated  toge- 
ther, and  the  distinction  of  tribes  and  families  is  in  a  great 
measure  lost  among  them,  and  they  have  all  from  the 
Babylonish  captivity  to  this  day  been  comprehended  under 
the  general  name  of  Jews.    In  St.  Paulas  time  there  were 
several  persons  of  all  the  ten  tribes  in  being ;  for  he  speak- 
eth  of  '  the  twelve  tribes  hoping  to  attain  to  the  promise 
of  God  ;*  Acts  xxvi.  7.    and   St.  James  addresseth   his 
epistle, '  to  the  twelve  tribes  which  are  scattered  abroad,' 
James  i.   1.     And  we  make  no  question,  that  several  per- 
sons of  all  the  ten  tribes  are  in  being  at  present,  thougji 
we  cannot  separate  them  from  the  rest ;  they  are  confoun- 
ded with  the  other  Jews ;  there  is  no  difference,  no  dis- 

VOL,  I.  N 


146  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

tinction  between  them.  The  Samaritans*  indeed  (of 
whom  there  are  still  some  remains  at  Sichem  and  the 
neighbouring  towns)  pretend  to  be  the  descendants  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  but  they  are  really  derived  from  those 
nations,  which  Esarhaddon  king  of  Assyria  planted  in 
the  country,  after  he  had  carried  thence  the  ten  tribes 
into  captivity.  And  for  this  reason  the  Jews  call  them 
by  no  other  name  than  Cuthites,  (the  name  of  one  of  those 
nations)  and  exclaim  against  them  as  the  worst  of  here- 
tics, and  if  possible  have  greater  hatred  and  abhorrence 
of  them  than  of  the  Christians  themselves. 

Thus  we  see  how  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel  were  in  a 
manner  lost  in  their  captivity,  while  the  two  tribes  of  Ju- 
dah  and  Benjamin  were  restored  and  preserved  several 
ages  afterwards.  And  what,  can  you  believe,  were  the 
reasons  of  God's  making  this  difference  and  distinction 
between  them  ?  The  ten  tribes  had  totally  revolted  from 
God  to  the  worship  of  the  golden  calves  in  Dan  and  Be- 
thel ;  and  for  this,  and  their  other  idolatry  and  wickedness, 
they  were  suffered  to  remain  in  the  land  of  their  captivity. 
The  Jews  were  restored,  not  so  much  for  their  own  sakes, 
as  for  the  sake  of  the  promises  made  unto  the  fathers ; 
the  promise  to  Judah,  that  the  Messiah  should  come  of 
his  tribe  ;  the  promise  to  David  that  the  Messiah  should 
be  born  of  his  family.  It  was  therefore  necessary  for  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  and  the  families  of  that  tribe,  to  be  kept 
distinct  until  the  coming  of  the  Messiah.  But  now  these 
ends  are  fully  answered,  the  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benja- 
min are  as  much  confounded  as  any  of  the  rest :  all  dis- 
tinction of  families  and  genealogies  is  lost  among  them : 
and  the  Jewsf  themselves  acknowledge  as  much  in  say- 
ing, that  when  the  Messiah  shall  come,  it  will  be  part  of 
his  office  "  to  sort  their  families,  restore  the  genealogies, 
and  set  aside  strangers." 

II.  The  preservation  of  the  Jews  through  so  many 
ages,  and  the  total  destruction  of  their  enemies  are  won- 
derful events  ;  and  are  made  still  more  wonderful  by  be- 
ing signified  before-hand  by  the  spirit  of  prophecy,  as 
we  find  particularly  in  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  xlvi,  28. 

*  See  Prideaux  as  before. 

t  See  Bishop  Chandler's  Defence  of  Christianity,  Chap.  I. 
SeC^.  2,  page  38,  of  the  third  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  147 

^  Fear  not  thou,  O  Jacob  my  servant,  saitb  the  Lord,  for 
I  am  with  thee,  for  I  will  make  a  full  end  of  all  the  nations 
whither  I  have  driven  thee,  but  I  will  not  make  a  full  end 
of  thee." 

The  preservation  of  the  Jews  is  really  one  of  the  most 
sii^nal  and  illustrious  acts  of  divine  providence.  They  are 
dispersed  among  all  nations,  and  yet  they  are  not  con- 
founded with  any.  The  drops  of  rain  which  fall,  nay  the 
great  rivers  which  flow  into  the  ocean,  are  soon  mingled 
and  lost  in  that  immense  body  of  waters  :  and  the  same 
in  all  human  probability  would  have  been  the  fate  of  the 
Jews,  they  would  have  been  mingled  and  lost  in  the  com- 
mon  mass  of  mankind  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  they  flow 
into  all  parts  of  the  world,  mix  with  all  nations,  and  yet 
keep  separate  from  all.  They  still  live  as  a  distinct  peo- 
ple, and  yet  they  no  where  live  according  to  their  own 
laws,  no  where  elect  their  own  magistrates,  no  where  en- 
joy the  full  exercise  of  their  religion.  Their  solemn  feasts 
and  sacrifices  are  limited  to  one  certain  place,  and  that 
hath  been  now  for  many  ages  in  the  hands  of  strangers 
and  aliens,  who  will  not  suffer  them  to  come  hither.  No 
people  have  continued  unmixed  so  long  as  they  have 
done,  not  only  of  those  who  have  sent  forth  colonies  into 
foreign  countries,  but  even  of  those  who  have  abided  in 
their  own  country.  The  northern  nations  have  come  in 
swarms  into  the  more  southern  parts  of  Europe;  but 
where  are  they  now  to  be  discerned  and  distinguished  ? 
The  Gauls  went  forth  in  great  bodies  to  seek  their  for- 
tune in  foreign  parts  ;  but  what  traces  or  footsteps  of  them 
are  now  remaining  any  where  ?  In  France  who  can  sepa- 
rate the  race  of  the  ancient  Gauls  from  the  various  other 
people,  who  from  time  to  time  have  settled  there  ?  In 
Spain  who  can  distinguish  exactly  between  the  first  pos- 
sessors, the  Spaniards,  and  the  Goths,  and  the  Moors, 
who  conquered  and  kept  possession  of  the  country  for 
some  ages  ?  In  England  who  can  pretend  to  say  v/ith 
certainty  which  families  are  derived  from  the  ancient 
Britons,  and  which  from  the  Romans,  or  Saxons,  or 
Danes,  or  Normans  ?  The  most  ancient  and  honourable 
pedigrees  can  be  traced  up  only  to  a  certain  period,  and 
beyond  that  there  is  nothing  but  conjecture  and  uncer- 
tainty, obscurity  and  ignorance  :  but  the  Jews  can  go  up 
higher  than  any  nation,  they  can  even  deduce  their  pedi- 


148  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

gree  from  the  beginning  of  the  world.  They  iTiay  not 
know  from  what  particular  tribe  or  family  they  are  de- 
scended, but  they  know  certainly  that  they  all  sprung 
from  the  stock  of  Abraham.  And  yet  the  contempt  with 
which  they  have  been  treated,  and  the  hardships  which 
they  have  undergone  in  almost  all  countries,  should,  one 
would  think,  have  made  them  desirous  to  forget  or  re- 
nounce their  original ;  but  they  profess  it,  they  glory  in 
it :  and  after  so  many  wars,  massacres,  and  persecutions, 
they  still  subsist,  they  siill  are  very  numerous  :  and  what, 
but  a  supernatural  power  could  have  preserved  them  in 
such  a  manner,  as  none  other  nation  upon  earth  hath 
been  preserved  ? 

Nor  is  the  providence  of  God  less  remarkable  in  the 
destruction  of  their  enemies,  than  in  their  preservation. 
For  from  the  beginning,  who  have  been  the  great  enemies 
and  oppressors  of  the  Jewish  nation,  removed  them  from 
their  own  land,  and  compelled  them  into  captivity  and 
slavery  ?  The  Egyptians  afflicted  them  much,  and  de- 
tained them  in  bondage  several  years.  The  Assyrians 
carried  away  captive  the  ten  tribes  of  Israel,  and  the 
Babylonians  afterwards  the  two  remaining  tribes  of  Judah 
and  Benjamin.  The  Syro-Macedonians,  especially  An- 
liochus  Epiphanes  cruelly  persecuted  them  :  and  the 
Ivomans  utterly  dissolved  the  Jewish  state,  and  dispersed 
*he  people,  so  that  they  have  never  been  able  to  recover 
their  city  and  country  again.  But  where  are  now  these 
great  and  famous  monarchies,  which  in  their  turns  sub- 
dued and  oppressed  the  people  of  God  ?  Are  they  not 
vanished  as  a  dream,  and  not  only  their  power,  but  their 
very  names  lost  in  the  earth  ?  The  Egyptians,  Assyrians, 
and  Babylonians  were  overthrown,  and  entirely  subju- 
gated by  the  Persians ;  and  the  Persians,  (it  is  remarka- 
ble) were  the  restorers  of  the  Jews,  as  well  as  the  destroy- 
ers of  their  enemies.  The  Syro-Macedonians  were  swal- 
lowed up  by  the  Romans :  and  the  Roman  empire,  great 
and  powerful  as  it  was,  was  broken  in  pieces  by  the  in- 
cursions of  the  northern  nations;  while  the  Jews  are 
subsisting  as  a  distinct  people  at  this  day.  And  what  a 
wonder  of  providence  is  it,  that  the  vanquished  should  so 
many  ages  survive  the  victors,  and  the  former  be  spread 
all  over'the  world,  while  the  latter  are  no  more  ? 


THE  PiiOPlIECIKS.  149 

Nay,  not  only  nations  have  been  punished  for  their 
cruelties  to  the  Jews,  but  divine  vengeance  hath  pursued 
even  single  persons,  who  have  been  their  persecutors  and 
oppressors.  1'he  first  born  of  Pharaoh  was  destroyed, 
and  he  himself  with  his  host  was  drowned  in  the  sea. 
Most  of  those  who  oppressed  Israel  in  the  days  of  the 
Judg-es,  Eglon,  Jabin  and  Sisera,  Oreb  and  Zeeb,  and  the 
rest,  came  to  an  untimely  end.  Nebuchadnezzar  was 
stricken  with  madness,  and  the  crown  was  soon  transfer- 
red from  his  family  to  strangers.  Antiochus  Epiphanes  * 
died  in  great  agonies,  with  ulcers  and  vermin  issuing  from 
them,  so  that  the  filthiness  of  his  smell  was  intolerable  to 
all  his  attendants,  and  even  to  himself.  Herod,  who  was 
a  cruel  tyrant  to  the  Jews,t  died  in  the  same  miserable 
manner.  Flaccus,  governor  of  Egypt,  who  barbarously 
plundered  and  oppressed  the  Jews  of  Alexandria,  |  was 
afterwards  banished  and  slain.  Caligula,  who  persecuted 
the  Jews  for  refusing  to  pay  divine  honours  to  his  statues,^^ 
was  murdered  in  the  flower  of  his  age,  after  a  short  and 
■wicked  reign.  But  where  are  they  now,  since  they  have 
absolutely  rejected  the  gospel,  and  been  no  longer  the  pe- 
culiar people  of  God,  where  are  now  such  visible  mani- 
festations of  a  divine  interposition  in  their  favour?  The 
Jews  would  do  well  to  consider  this  point ;  for  rightly  con- 
sidered it  may  be  an  effectual  means  of  opening  their 
eyes,  and  of  turning  them  to  Christ  our  Saviour. 

III.  The  desolation  of  Judea  is  another  memorable  in- 
stance of  the  truth  of  prophecy.  It  was  foretold  so  long 
ago  as  by  Moses,  Levit.  xxvi.  33.  '  I  will  scatter  you 
among  the  heathen,  and  will  draw  out  a  sword  after  you  ; 
and  your  land  shall  be  desolate,  and  your  cities  waste.*  It 

*  See  2  Maccab.  ix.  9.  See  also  the  Fragments  of  Polybius  in 
page  997,  of  Casavibon's  edition. 

■j-  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  XVII.  Chap.  vi.  Sect.  5, 
page  768.  See  also  his  Jewish  wars.  Book  I.  Chap,  xxxiii.  Sect, 
5,  in  page  1040,  of  Hudson's  edition. 

^  See  Philo  upon  Flaccus. 

§  See  Philo's  Embassy  to  Caius  Cxsar.  See  Josephus'  Anti- 
q^lj:ies.  Book  XVIII.  Chap.  ix.  and  Book  XIX.  Chap.  i.  See 
Suetonius'  life  of  Culigula,  Chap.  lix.  who  tells  us  that  Caligula 
lived  thirty  years,  and  reigned  tlu-ee  years,  ten  months  and  eight 
days. 

N  2 


150  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

was  foretold  again  by  Isaiah,  the  prophet,  speaking,  as 
prophets  often  do,  of  things  future  as  present :  i.  7,  8.  9. 
'  Your  country  is  desolate,  your  cities  are  burnt  with  fire  ; 
your  land,  strangers  devour  it  in  your  presence,  and  it  is 
desolate  as  overthrown  by  strangers.     And  the  daughter 
of  Zion  is  left  as  a  cottage  in  a  vineyard,  as  a  lodge  in  a 
garden  of  cucumbers,  as  a  besieged  city.*     This  passage 
may  relate  immediately  to  the  times  of  Ahaz  and  Heze- 
kiah;  but  it  must  have  a  farther  reference  to  the  devas- 
tations made  by  the  Chaldeans,  and  especially  by  the  Ro- 
mans.    In  this  sense  it  is  understood  by  Justin  Martyr,* 
Tertullian,  Jerome,  and  most  ancient  interpreters :  and 
the  following  words  imply  no  less  than  a  general  destruc- 
tion, and  almost  total  excision  of  the  people,  such  as  they 
suftered  under  the  Chaldeans,  but  more  fully  under  the 
Romans ;  *  Except  the  Lord  of  hosts  had  left  unto  us  a 
very  small  remnant,  we  should  have  been  as  Sodom  and 
"ive  should  have  been  like  unto  Gomorrah.'     The  same 
thing  was  again  foretold  by  Jeremiah  ;  for  speaking  af- 
terwards of  the  conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  and  of  the 
restoration  of  the  Jews  in  the  latter  days,  he  must  be 
understood  to  speak  here  of  the  times  preceding,  xii.  10, 
H .  *  Many  pastors  (princes  or  leaders)  have  destroyed 
my  vineyard,  they  have  trodden  my  portion  under  foot, 
they  have  made  my  pleasant  portion  a  desolate  wildei'ness; 
they  have  made  it  desolate,  and  being  desolate  it  mourn- 
eth  unto  me ;  the  whole  land  is  made  desolate,  because 
no  man  layeth  it  to  heart.* 

The  same  thing  is  expressed  or  implied  in  other  places ; 
and  hath  not  the  state  of  Judea  now  for  many  ages  been 
exactly  answerable  to  this  description  ?  That  a  country 
should  be  depopulated  and  desolated  by  the  incursions  and 
depredations  of  foreign  armies  is  nothing  wonderful ;  but 
that  it  should  lie  so  many  ages  in  this  mjiserable  condi- 
tion is  more  than  man  could  foresee,  and  could  be  revealed 
only  by  God.  A  celebrated  French  writer  f  in  his  history 

*  See  Justin  Martyr's  Apology,  page  70,  in  tlie  edition  of 
Thirlbius.  See  Ihe  Dialogue  with  Tryphon,  pages  160  and  143. 
See  Tertullian  against  the  Marcionites,  Book  VIII.  Chap,  xjhiii. 
page  411,  in  Rigaut's  edition  printed  at  Paris  In  1675,  and  Je- 
rome on  the  passage.  Vol.  III.  page  12,  of  the  Benedictine  edi- 
tion, 

t  See  Voltaire's  History,  not  far  from  the  beginning. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  151 

of  the  Crusades,  pretends  to  exhibit  a  true  picture  of 
Palestine,  and  he  says  that  then  "  it  was  just  what  it  is  at 
present,  the  worst  of  all  the  inhabited  countries  of  Asia. 
It  is  almost  wholly  covered  with  parched  rocks,  on  which 
there  is  not  one  line  of  soil.  If  this  small  territory  were 
cultivated,  it  might  not  improperly  be  compared  to  Swis- 
serland."  But  there  is  no  need  of  citinp:  autliorities  to 
prove  that  the  land  is  forsaken  of  its  inhabitants,  is  uncul- 
tivated, unfruitful,  and  desolate  ; -for  the  enemies  of  our 
religion  make  this  very  thing  an  objection  to  the  truth  of 
our  religion.  They  say  that  so  barren  and  wretched  a 
country  could  never  have  been  a  land  fionvuig  with  7nilk 
and  /toncij,  nov  have  supplied  and  maintained  such  multi- 
tudes, as  it  is  represented  to  have  done  in  scripture.  But 
they  do  not  see  or  consider,  that  hereby  the  prophecies 
are  fulfilled  ;  so  that  it  is  rather  an  evidence  for  the  truth 
of  our  religion,  than  any  argument  against  it. 

The  country  was  formerly  a  good  country,  if  we  may 
believe  the  concurrent  testimony  of  those  who  should 
best  know  it,  the  people  who  inhabited  it  Aristeas  and 
Josephus  too*  speak  largely  in  commendation  of  its  fruit- 
fulness  :  and  though  something  may  be  allowed  to  nation- 
al prejudices,  yet  they  would  hardly  have  had  the  confi- 
dence to  assert  a  thing,  which  all  the  world  could  easily 
contradict  and  disprove.  Nay  there  are  even  heathen 
authors  who  bear  testimony  to  the  fruitfulness  of  the  land : 
though  we  pi*esu me,  that  after  the  Babylonish  captivity 
it  never  recovered  to  be  again  what  it  was  before.  Strabo  f 
describes  indeed  the  country  about  Jerusalem  as  rocky 
and  barren,  but  he  commends  other  parts,  particularly 
about  Jordan  and  Jericho.      HecatseusI  quoted  by  Jose- 


•  See  Aristeas,  pag-e  13,  14,  in  the  edition  of  Hody.  See  Jo- 
sephus* Jewish  Wars,  Book  VHI.  Chap.  iii.  page  1120,  of  Hud- 
son's edition. 

t  See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  pa^e  761,  of  the  Paris  edition,  and 
pa,^e  1104,  of  that  of  Amsterdam.  See  pag-e  755,  of  the  Paris 
edition  and  page  1095,  of  (hat  of  Amsterdam.  See  page  763,  of 
the  Paris  edition  and  page  1106,  in  that  of  Amsterdam  printed 
in  1707. 

i  See  Josephus  ag-alnst  Apion,  Book  I.  Sect.  22.  where  it  is 
called  a  country  the  best  and  most  productivov  page  1348^  ii\ 
Hudson's  edition. 


152  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

phus  giveth  it  the  character  of  one  of  the  best  and  most 
fertile  countries.  Tacitus*  saith  ;  that  it  raineth  seldom, 
the  soil  is  fruitful,  fruits  abound  as  with  us,  and  besides 
them  the  balsam  and  palm-trees.  And  notv/ithstanding 
the  long-  desolation  of  the  land,  there  are  still  visible  such 
marks  and  tokens  of  fruitfulness,  as  may  convince  any 
man  that  it  once  deserved  the  character,  which  is  given 
of  it  in  scripture.  I  would  only  refer  the  reader  to  two 
learned  and  ingenious  travellers  of  our  own  nation,  Mr. 
Maundrcll  and  Dr.  Shaw  ;  and  he  will  be  fully  satisfied 
of  the  truth  of  what  is  here  asserted. 

The  former-f-  says,  that  "  all  along  this  day's  travel 
(Mar.  25.)  from  Kane  Leban  to  Beer,  and  also  as  far  as 
we  could  see  around,  the  country  discovered  a  quite  dif- 
ferent face  from  what  it  had  before ;  presenting  nothing 
to  the  view  in  most  places,  but  naked  rocks,  mountains, 
and  precipices.  At  sight  of  which,  pilgrims  are  apt  to  be 
astonished  and  baulked  in  their  expectations  ;  finding  that 
country  in  such  an  inhospitable  condition,  concerning 
whose  pleasantness  and  plenty  they  had  before  formed  in 
their  minds  such  high  ideas  from  the  description  given 
of  it,  in  the  word  of  God:  insomuch,  that  it  almost  star- 
tles their  faith  when  they  reflect  how  it  could  be  possible 
for  a  land  like  this,  to  supply  food  for  so  prodigious  a 
number  of  inhabitants,  as  are  said  to  have  been  polled  in 
the  twelve  tribes  at  one  time ;  the  sum  given  in  by  Joab, 
2  Sam.  xxiv.  amounting  to  no  less  than  thirteen  hundred 
thousand  fighting  men,  besides  women  and  children.  But 
it  is  certain  that  any  man,  who  is  not  a  little  biassed  to 
infidelity  before,  may  see,  as  he  passes  along,  arguments 
enough  to  support  his  faith  against  such  scruples.  For  it 
is  obvious  for  any  one  to  observe,  that  these  rocks  and 
hills  must  have  been  anciently  covered  with  earth,  and 
cultivated,  and  made  to  contribute  to  the  maintenance  of 
the  inhabitants,  no  less  than  if  the  country  had  been  all 
plain :  nay,  perhaps  much  more  ;  for  as  much,  as  such  a 

*  See  Tacitus'  History,  Book  V.  where  he  salth,  that  in  this 
country  they  have  but  few  showers,  the  soil  however  is  fertile,  and 
producelh  in  great  abundance  the  same  fruics  as  are  to  be  met 
with  in  Italy,  and  besides  these,  it  abounds  with  Balsams  and 
palm  trees. 

t  See  Maundrell,  page  64,  fifth  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  153 

mountainous  and  uneven  surface,  affords  a  larger  space  of 
ground  for  cultivation,  than  this  country  would  amount 
to,  if  it  were  all  reduced  to  a  perfect  level.  For  the  hus- 
banding of  these  mountains,  their  manner  was  to  gather 
up  the  stones,  and  place  them  in  several  lines,  along  the 
sides  of  the  hills,  in  form  of  a  wall.  By  such  borders 
they  supported  the  mould  from  tumbling  or  being  washed 
downi ;  and  form  many  beds  of  excellent  soil,  rising  gra- 
dually one  above  another,  from  the  bottom  to  the  top  of 
the  mountains.  Of  this  form  of  culture  you  see  evident 
footsteps,  wherever  you  go  in  all  the  mountains  of  Pales- 
tine. Thus  the  very  rocks  were  made  fruitful.  And 
perhaps  there  is  no  spot  of  ground  in  this  whole  land,  that 
was  not  formerly  improved,  to  the  production  of  some- 
thing or  other,  ministering  to  the  sustenance  of  human 
life.  For  than  the  plain  countries,  nothing  can  be  more 
fruitful,  whether  for  the  production  of  corn  or  cattle,  and 
consequently  of  milk.  The  hills,  though  improper  for 
all  cattle  except  goats,  yet  being  disposed  into  such  beds 
as  are  before  described,  served  very  well  to  bear  corn, 
melons,  gourds,  cucumbers,  and  such  like  garden  stuff', 
which  makes  the  principal  food  of  these  countries  for 
several  months  in  the  year.  The  most  rocky  parts  of  all, 
which  could  not  well  be  adjusted  in  that  manner  for  the 
production  of  corn,  m.ight  yet  serve  for  the  plantation  of 
vines  and  olive  trees;  which  delight  to  extract,  the  one 
its  fatness,  the  other  its  sprightly  juice,  chiefly  out  of  such 
dry  and  flinty  places.  And  the  great  plain  joining  to 
the  dead  sea,  which  by  reason  of  its  sahness  might  be 
thought  unserviceable  both  for  cattle,  corn,  olives,  and 
vines,  had  yet  its  proper  usefulness  for  the  nourishment 
of  bees,  and  for  the  fabric  of  honey:  of  wliich  Josephus 
give  us  his  testimony,  De  Bell.  Jud.  Lib.  5.  Cap.  4.  And 
1  h'ave  reason  to  believe  it,  because  when  I  was  there,  I 
perceived  in  many  places  a  smell  of  honey  and  wax,  as 
strong  as  if  one  had  been  in  an  apiary.  Why  then,  might 
not  this  country  very  well  maintain  the  vast  number  of  its 
inhabitants,  being  in  every  part  so  productive,  of  either 
milk,  corn,  wine,  oil,  or  honey,  which  are  the  prijacipal 
food  of  these  eastern  nations;  the  constitution  of  their  bo- 
dies, and  the  nature  of  their  clime,  inclining  then\  to  a 
more  abstemious  diet  than  we  use  in  England,  and  other 
colder  regions." 


154  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

The  other  asserts,  *  that  "  the  Holy  Land,  were  it  as 
well  peopled,  and  cultivated,  as  in  former  time, -would 
still  be  more  fruitful  than  the  very  best  part  of  the  coast 
of  Syria  and  Phcenice.  For  the  soil  itself  is  generally 
much  richer,  and  all  things  considered,  yields  a  prefer- 
able crop.  Thus  the  cotton  that  is  gathered  in  the 
plains  of  Ramah,  Esdraelon,  and  Zebulun,  is  in  greater 
esteem,  than  what  is  cultivated  near  Sidon  and  Tripoly  ; 
neither  is  it  possible  for  pulse,  wheat,  or  any  sort  of  grain, 
to  be  more  excellent  than  what  is  commonly  sold  at  Je- 
rusalem. The  barrenness  or  scarcity  rather,  which  some 
authors  may  either  ignorantly  or  maliciously  complain 
of,  does  not  proceed  from  the  incapacity  or  natural  un- 
fruitfulness  of  the  country,  but  from  the  want  of  inhabi- 
tants, and  the  great  aversion  there  is  to  labour  and  indus- 
try in  those  few  who  possess  it.  There  ai'e  besides,  such 
perpetual  discords,  and  depredations  among  the  petty 
princes,  who  share  this  fine  country,  that  allowing  it  was 
better  peopled,  yet  there  would  be  small  encouragement 
to  sow,  when  it  was  uncertain,  who  should  gather  in  the 
harvest.  Otherwise  the  land  is  good  land^  and  still  capable 
of  affording  its  neighbours  the  like  supplies  of  corn  and 
oil,  which  it  is  known  to  have  done  in  the  time  of  Solo- 
mon. The  parts  particularly  about  Jerusalem,  being 
described  to  be  rocky  and  mountainous,  have  been  there- 
fore supposed  to  be  barren  and  unfruitful.  Yet  granting 
this  conclusion,  which  is  far  from  being  just,  a  kingdom 
is  not  to  be  denominated  barren  or  unfruitful  from  one 
part  of  it  only,  but  from  the  whole.  Nay,  farther,  the 
blessing  that  was  given  to  Judah,  was  not  of  the  same 
kind  with  the  blessing  of  Asher  or  of  Issachar,  that  his 
bread  should  be  fat^  or  his  land  should  ^e/z/t^a^an^,  but  that 
his  eyes  should  be  red  rjith  \vine^  mid  his  teeth  should  be 
lohite  with  milk^  Gen,  xlix.  12.  IVIoses  also  maketh  milk 
and  honey  (the  chief  dainties  and  subsistence  of  the  ear- 
lier ages,  as  they  continue  to  be  of  the  Bedoween  Arabs) 
to  be  the  glory  of  all  lands  :j  all  which  productions  are 

*  Shaw's  Travels,  page  365,  &.c. 

t  As  Bishop  Pearce  observes,  is  not  tills  a  mistake  in  Dr. 
Shaw?  The  words  are  not  of  Moses  butof  Ezekiel,xx.6,  15.  and 
he  does  not  seem  io  call  tiie  milk  and  honeij  the  glory  of  all  Umds  ; 
but  the  land  which  did  abound  with  milk  and  honeij^  he  rather 
CuUs  the  r^lory  ofal!la?uL: 


THE  PUOPHECIES.  I55 

either  actually  enjoyed,  or  as  least  might  be,  by  proper 
care  and  application.  The  plenty  of  wine  alone  is  want- 
ing at  present;  yet  from  the  goodness  of  that  little,  which 
is  still  made  at  Jerusalem  and  Hebron,  we  find  that  these 
barren  rocks  (as  they  are  called)  might  yield  as  much 
greater  quantity,  if  the  abstemious  Turk  and  Arab  would 
permit  a  further  increase  and  improvement  to  be  made 
of  the  vine,  Sec.'* 

IV.  Nothing  can  be  a  stronger  or  clearer  proof  of  the 
divine  inspiration  of  the  prophets,  than  their  foretelling 
not  only  the  outward  actions,  but  even  the  inward  dispo- 
sitions of  men,  many  ages  before  those  men  were  in  be- 
ing. The  prophets  were  naturally  prejudiced  in  favour 
of  their  own  nation  ;  but  yet  they  foretel  the  infidelity 
and  reprobation  of  the  Jews,  their  disbelief  of  the  Mes- 
siah, and  thereupon  their  rejection  by  God.  We  will  not 
multiply  quotations  to  this  purpose.  It  will  be  sufficient 
to  produce  one  or  two  passages  from  the  evangelical  pro- 
phet Isaiah.  The  53d  chapter  is  a  most  famous  prophe- 
cy of  the  Messiah  ?  and  it  begins  with  upbraiding  the 
Jews  for  their  unbelief,  '  Who  hath  believed  our  report  ? 
and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  revealed  ?'  which 
St.  John,  xii.  38.  and  St.  Paul,  Rom.  x.  16.  have  express- 
ly applied  to  the  unbelieving  Jews  of  their  time.  The 
prophet  assigns  the  reason  too,  why  they  would  not  re- 
ceive the  Messiah,  namely,  because  of  his  low  and  afflict- 
ed condition:  and  it  is  very  well  known  that  they  reject- 
ed him  on  this  c.ccount,  having  all  along  expected  him  to 
come  as  a  temporal  prince  and  deliverer  in  great  power 
and  glory. 

The  prophet  had  before  been  commissioned  to  declare 
unto  the  people  the  judgments  of  God  for  their  infideli- 
ty and  disobedience,  vl.  9,  &c.  <  And  he  said,  Go  ye  and 
lell  this  people,  (this  people,  not  my  people)  Hear  ye  in-^ 
deed,  but  understand  not ;  and  see  ye  indeed,  but  perceive 
not.  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  and  make  their 
ears  heavy,  and  shut  their  eyes ;  lest  they  see  with  their 
eyes  and  hear  with  their  ears,  and  understand  with  their 
heart,  and  convert,  and  be  healed.*  In  the  style  of  scrip- 
ture the  prophets  are  said  to  do  what  they  declare  nvill  be 
done;  and  in -like  manner  Jeremiah  is  said,  i.  10.  to  be 
'  set  over  the  nations,  and  over  the  kingdoms,  to  root  out. 


J  56  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

and  to  pull  down,  and  to  destroy,  and  to  throw  down,  to 
build,  and  to  plant ;  because  he  was  authorised  to  make 
known  the  purposes  and  decrees  of  God,  and  because 
these  events  would  follow  in  consequence  of  his  prophe- 
cies. *  Make  the  heart  of  this  people  fat,  is  therefore  as 
much  as  to  say,,Denounce  my  judgment  upon  this  people, 
that  their  heart  shall  be  fat,  and  their  ears  heavy,  and  their 
eyes  shut :  lest  they  see  with  their  eyes,  and  hear  with 
ears,  and  understand  with  their  heart,  and  convert,  and 
be  healed.'  This  prophecy  might  relate  in  some  mea- 
sure to  the  state  of  the  Jews  before  the  Babylonish  capti- 
vity ;  but  it  did  not  receive  its  full  completion  till  the  days 
of  our  Saviour  :  and  in  this  sense  itis  understood  and  ap- 
plied by  the  writers  of  the  New  Testament,  and  by  our 
Saviour  himself.  The  prophet  is  then  informed,  that 
this  infidelity  and  obstinacy  of  his  countrymen  should  be 
of  long  duration.  *  Then  said  I,  Lord,  how  long  ?  And 
he  answered.  Until  the  cities  be  wasted  without  inhabitants 
and  the  houses  without  man,  and  the  land  be  utterly  deso- 
late, And  the  Lord  have  removed  men  far  away,  and  there 
be  a  great  forsaking  in  the  midst  of  the  land.'  Here  is  a 
remarkable  gradation  in  the  denouncing  of  these  judg- 
ments. Not  only  Jerusalem  and  'the  cities  should ^be 
wasted  without  inhabitants,'  but  even  the  single  houses 
should  be  without  man  ;  and  not  only  the  houses  of  the 
cities  should  be  without  man,  but  even  the  country  should 
be  utterly  desolate  ;  and  not  only  the  people  should  be  re- 
moved out  of  the  land^  but  the  Lord  should  remove  them, 
far  away  ;  and  they  should  not  be  removed  for  a  short  pe- 
riod, but  there  should  be  a  great  or  rather  a  long  forsak' 
ing  in  the  midst  of  the  land.  And  hath  not  the  world  seen 
all  those  particulars  exactly  fulfilled  ?  Have  not  the  Jews 
laboured  under  a  spiritual  blindness  and  infatuation  in 
hearings  but  not  understandings  in  seeing,  but  not  perceiv- 
ing the  Messiah,  after  the  accomplishment  of  so  many 
prophecies,  after  the  performance  of  so  many  miracles  ? 
And  in  consequence  of  their  refusing  to  convert  and  be 
healed,  have  not  their  cities  been  wasted  without  inhabi- 
tants, and  their  houses  without  man  ?  Hath  not  their  land 
been  utterly  desolate?  Have  they  not  been  removed  far 
away  into  the  most  distant  parts  of  the  earth  ?  And  hath 
not  their  removal  or  banishment  been  now  of  near  1700 


THE  PROPHECIES.  137 

years  duration  ?  And  do  they  not  still  continue  deaf  and 
blind,  obstinate  and  unbelieving  ?  The  Jews,  at  the  time 
of  the  delivery  of  this  prophecy,  gloried  in  being  the  pe- 
culiar church  and  people  of  God  :  and  would  any  Jew  of 
himself  have  thought  or  have  said,  that  his  nation  would 
in  process  of  time  become  an  infidel  and  reprobate  nation, 
infidel  arid  reprobate  for  many  ages,  oppressed  by  men, 
and  forsaken  by  God  ?  It  was  above  750  years  before 
Christ, that  Isaiah  predicted  these  things;  and  how  could 
he  have  predicted  them,  unless  he  had  been  illuminatedby 
the  divine  vision  ;  or  how  could  they  have  succeeded  ac- 
cordingly, unless  the  spirit  of  prophecy  had  been  the  spi- 
rit of  God. 

V.  Of  the  same  nature  are  the  prophecies  concerning 
the  calling  and  obedience  of  the  Gentiles.  How  could 
such  an  event  be  foreseen  hundreds  of  years  before  it  hap- 
pened ?  but  the  prophets  are  full  of  the  glorious  subject j 
and  speak  with  delight  and  rapture  of  the  universal  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah  ;  that '  God  would  give  unto  him  the 
heathen  for  his  inheritance,  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the 
earth  for  his  possession  :'  Psal.  ii.  8.  that  <  all  the  ends  of 
the  world  should  remember  and  turn  unto  the  Lord,  and 
all  the  kindreds  of  the  nations  should  worship  before  him,* 
Psal,  xxii.  27.  that '  in  the  last  days  the  mountain  of  the 
house  of  the  Lord  should  be  established  in  the  top  of  the 
mountains,  and  should  be  exalted  above  the  hills,  and  all 
people  should  flow  unto  it,*  Micah  iv.  1 .  which  passage  is 
also  to  be  found  in  Isaiah  ;  ii.  2.  that  from  the  rising  of 
the  sun,  even  unto  the  going  down  of  the  same,  my  name 
shall  be  great  among  the  Gentiles,  and  in  every  place  in- 
cense shall  be  oftered  unto  my  name,  and  a  pure  offering  ; 
for  my  name  shall  be  great  among  the  heathen,  saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,'  Mai.  i.  11.  But  the  prophet  Isaiah  is 
more  copious  upon  this  as  well  as  other  evangelical  sub- 
jects :  and  his  49th  and  60th  chapters  treat  particularly 
of  the  glory  of  the  church  in  the  abundant  access  of  the 
Gentiles.  » It  is  a  light  thing  that  thou  shouldest  be  my 
servant  to  raise  up  the  tribes  of  Jacob,  and  to  restore  the 
preserved  of  Israel :  I  will  also  give  thee  for  a  light  to 
the  Gentiles,  that  thou  mayest  be  my  salvation  unto  the 
end  of  the  earth,  xlix.  6.  Arise,  shine,  for  thy  light  is 
come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.  The 
VOL.   I  O 


1,38  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Gentiles  shall  come  to  thy  lig'ht,  and  kings  to  the  bright- 
ness of  thy  rising.  The  abundance  of  the  sea  shall  be 
converted  unto  thee,  the  forces  of  the  Gentiles  shall  come 
unto  thee,'  Sec'  Ix.  1,  3,  5,  Sec. 

It  is  as  absurd  as  it  is  vain  in  the  Jews  to  apply  these 
prophecies  to  the  proselytes  whom  they  have  gained 
among  the  nations  ;  for  the  number  of  their  proselytes 
was  very  inconsiderable,  and  nothing  to  answer  these  pom- 
pous descriptions.  Neither  was  their  religion  ever  de- 
signed by  its  founder  for  an  universal  religion,  their  wor- 
ship and  sacrifices  being  confined  to  one  certain  place, 
whither  all  the  males  were  obliged  to  repair  thrice  every 
year ;  so  that  it  was  plainly  calculated  for  a  particular 
people,  and  could  never  become  the  religion  of  the  whole 
world.  There  was  indeed  to  be  a  religion,  which  was  de- 
signed for  all  nations,  to  be  preached  in  all,  and  to  be  receiv- 
ed in  all :  but  what  prospect  or  probability  was  there,  that 
such  a  generous  institution  should  proceed  from  such  a 
narrow-minded  people  as  the  Jews,  or  that  the  Gentiles 
who  hated  and  despised  them  should  ever  receive  a  reli- 
gion from  them  ?  Was  it  not  much  more  likely,  that 
ihey  should  be  corrupted  by  the  example  of  all  the  na- 
tions around  them,  and  be  induced  to  comply  with  the 
polytheism  and  idolatry  of  some  of  their  powerful  neigh- 
bours and  conquerors,  to  which  they  were  but  too  much 
inclined  of  themselves  ;  was  not  this,  I  say,  much  more 
Jikely  than  that  they  should  be  the  happy  instruments  of 
reforming  the  world,  and  converting  some  of  all  nations 
to  the  worship  of  the  one  only  God  in  spirit  apd  in  truth  ? 

But  the  prophet  farther  intimates,  that  this  great  revo- 
lution, the  greatest  that  ever  was  in  the  religious  world, 
should  be  effected  by  a  few  incompetent  persons,  and  ef- 
fected too  in  a  short  compass  of  time.  *  A  little  one  shall 
become  a  thousand,  and  a  small  one  a  strong  nation  :  I 
the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  his  time,  Ix.  22.  Our  Saviour's 
commission  to  his  apostles  was,  ^  Go  teach  all  nations  :* 
and  who  were  the  persons  to  whom  this  commission  was 
given  ?  those  who  were  best  qualified  and  able  to  carry  it 
into  execution  ?  the  rich,  the  wise,  the  mighty  of  this  world  ? 
No,  they  were  chiefly  a  few  poor  fishermen,  of  low  pa- 
rentage and  education,  of  no  learning  or  eloquence,  of  no 
policy  or  address,  of  no  repute  or  authority,  despised  as 
Jews  by  the  rest  of  mankind,  and  as  the  meanest  and  worst 


THE  PROPHECIES.  1J9 

of  Jews  by  the  Jews  themselves.  And  what  improper  per- 
sons were  these  to  contend  with  the  prejudices  of  all  the 
world,  the  superstition  of  the  people,  the  interest  of  the 
priests,  the  vanity  of  philosophers,  the  pride  of  rulers,  the 
malice  of  th  Jews,  the  learning  of  Greece,  and  the  power 
of  Home  ; 

As  this  revolution  was  eftected  by  a  few  incompetent 
persons,  so  it  was  effected  too  in  a  short  compass  of  time. 
After  our  Saviour's  ascension  'the  number  of  disciples 
tog-ether  was  about  an  hundred  and  twenty  :'  Acts  i.l5. 
but  they  soon  increased  and  multiplied  :  the  first  sermon 
of  St.  Peter  'added  unto  them  '  about  three  thousand 
souls,'  ii.  41.  and  the  second  made  up  the  number  'about 
five  thousand,'  iv.  4.  Before  the  destruction  of  Jerusa- 
lem, in  the  space  of  about  forty  years,  the  gospel  was 
preached  in  almost  every  region  of  the  world  then  know  n  : 
And  in  the  reign  of  Constantine  Christianity  became  the 
religion  of  the  empire  :  and  after  having  suffered  a  little 
under  Julian  it  entirely  prevailed  and  triumphed  over  pa- 
ganism and  idolatry  :  and  still  prevails  in  the  most  civil- 
ized and  improved  parts  of  the  earth.  All  this  was  more 
than  man  could  foresee,  and  much  more  than  man  could 
execute:  and  we  experience  the  good  effects  of  these 
prophecies  at  this  day.  The  speedy  propagation  of  the 
gospel,  could  not  have  been  effected  by  persons  so  une- 
qual to  the  task,  if  the  same  divine  Spirit  %vho  foretold 
it,  had  not  likewise  assisted  them  in  it,  according  to  the 
promise,  '  I  the  Lord  will  hasten  it  in  his  time.'  We  may 
be  as  certain  as  if  we  had  seen  it,  that  the  truth  really 
was,  as  the  evangelist  affirms,  Mark  xvi.  20.  '  they  went 
forth  and  preached  every  where,  the  Lord  working  with 
them,  and  confirming  the  word  with  signs  following.' 

But  neither  the  prophecies  concerning  the  Gentiles, 
nor  those  concerning  the  Jews,  have  yet  received  their 
full  and  entire  completion.  Our  Saviour  hath  not  yet 
had  'the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  his  possession  :' 
Psal.  ii.  8. '  All  the  ends  of  the  world'  have  not  yet '  turn- 
ed unto  the  Lord  :'  xxii.  27.  '  All  people,  nations,  and 
languages,'  have  not  yet '  served  him  :'  Dan.  vii.  14.  These 
things  have  hitherto  been  only  partially,  but  they  will 
even  literally  be  fulfilled.  Neither  are  the  Jews  yet  made 
*  an  eternal  excellency,  a  joy  of  many  generations,'  Isa. 
Ix.  15.  The  time  is  not  yet  come,  when  'violence  shall  no 


160  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

iTierebe  heard  in  the  land,  wasting  nor  destruction  within 
their  borders,'  ver.  18.  God's  promises  to  them  are  not 
yet  made  good  in  their  full  extent.  '  Behold,  I  will  take 
the  children  of  Israel  from  among  the  heathen,  whither 
ihey  be  gone,  and  will  gather  them  on  every  side,  and 
bring  them  into  their  own  land.  And  they  shall  dwell  in 
the  land  that  I  have  given  unto  Jacob  my  servant,  even 
they  and  their  children,  and  their  children's  children  for 
ever,  and  my  servant  David  shall  be  their  prince  forever,' 
Ezek.  xxxvii,  21,  25.  '  Then  shall  they  know  that  I  am 
the  Lord  their  God,  who  caused  them  to  be  led  into  cap- 
tivity among  the  heathen  ;  but  I  have  gathered  them  unto 
their  own  land,  and  have  left  none  of  them  any  more  there. 
Neither  will  I  hide  my  face  any  more  from  them,  for  I 
have  poured  out  my  spirit  upon  the  house  of  Israel,  saith 
the  Lord  God,'  xxxix.  28,  29.  However  what  hath  al- 
ready been  accomplished,  is  a  sufficient  pledii^e  and  ear- 
nest of  what  is  yet  to  come  :  and  we  have  all  imaginable 
reason  to  believe,  since  so  many  of  these  prophecies  are 
fulfilled,  that  the  remaining  prophecies  will  be  fulfilled 
also  ;  that  there  will  be  yet  a  greater  harvest  of  the  na- 
tions, and  the  yet  unconverted  parts  of  the  earth  will  be 
enlightened  with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord ;  that  the 
Jews  will  in  God's  good  time  be  converted  to  Christianity, 
and  upon  their  conversion  be  restored  to  their  native  city 
and  country  :  and  especially  since  the  state  of  aifairs  is 
such,  that  they  may  return  without  much  difficulty,  hav- 
ing no  dominion,  no  settled  country,  or  fixed  property  to 
detain  them  mu<:h  any  where.  We  have  seen  the  pro- 
])hecy  of  Hosea,  iii.  4,  5.  fulfilled  in  part,  and  why  should 
we  not  believe  that  it  will  be  fulfilled  in  whole  ?  '  The 
children  of  Israel  shall  abide  many  days  without  a  king, 
and  without  a  prince,  and  without  a  sacrifice,  and  without 
an  image  or  a/tar,  and  without  an  ephod'  or  priest  to 
wear  an  ephod,  '  and  without  teraphim'  or  divine  mani- 
festation. '  Afterwards  shall  the  children  of  Israel  return, 
and  seek  the  Lord  their  God,  and  David  their  king,  and 
hhall  fear  the  Lord  and  his  goodness  in  the  latter  days." 

We  have  now  exhibited  a  summary  view  of  the  pro- 
phecies of  the  Old  Testament  more  immediately  relative 
to  the  preifent  state  and  condition  of  the  Jews ;  and  what 
stronger  and  more  convincing  arguments  can  you  require 


THE  PIIOPHECIES.  161 

of  the  truth  both  of  the  Jewish  and  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion ?  The  Jews  were  once  the  peculiar  people  of  God  : 
and  as  St.  Paul  saith,  Rom.  xi.  1.  '  Hath  God  cast  away 
his  people  ?  God  foibid.'  We  see  that  after  so  many 
ages  they  are  still  preserved  by  a  miracle  of  providence 
a  distinct  people  ;  and  why  is  such  a  continual  miracle 
exerted,  but  for  the  greater  illustration  of  the  divine  truth, 
and  the  better  accomplishment  of  the  divine  promises,  as 
well  those  wducli  are  yet  to  be,  as  those  w^hich  are  already 
fulfilled  ?  We  see  that  the  great  empires,  which  in  their 
turns  sul)dued  and  oppressed  the  people  of  God,  are  all 
come  to  ruin  :  because  though  they  executed  the  pur- 
poses of  God,  yet  that  was  more  than  they  understood  ; 
all  that  they  intended  was  to  satiate  their  own  pride  and 
ambition,  their  own  cruelty  and  revenge.  And  if  such  hath 
been  the  fatal  end  of  the  enemies  and  oppressors  of  the 
Jews,  let  it  serve  as  a  warning  to  all  those,  who  at  any 
time  or  upon  any  occasion  are  for  raising  a  clamour  and 
persecution  against  them.  They  are  blameable  no  doubt 
for  persisting  in  their  infidelity  after  so  many  means  of 
conviction;  but  this  is  no  warrant  or  authority  for  us  to 
prescribe,  to  abuse,  injure,  and  oppress  them,  as  Chris- 
tians of  more  zeal  than  either  knowledge  or  charity  have 
in  all  ages  been  apt  to  do.  Charity  is  greater  than  faith  ; 
and  it  is  worse  in  us  to  be  cruel  and  uncharitable,  than  it 
is  in  them  to  be  obstinate  and  unbelieving.  Persecution 
is  the  spirit  of  popery,  and  in  the  worst  of  popish  coun- 
tries the  Jews  are  the  most  cruelly  used  and  persecuted  : 
the  spirit  of  protestantism  is  toleration  and  indulgence  to 
weaker  consciences.  Compassion  to  this  unhappy  people 
is  not  to  defeat  the  prophecies  ;  for  only  wicked  nations 
were  to  harass  and  oppress  them,  the  good  were  to  show 
mercy  to  them  ;  and  we  should  choose  rather  to  be  the 
dispensers  of  God's  mercies  than  the  executioners  of  his 
judgments.  Read  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to 
the  Romans,  and  see  what  the  great  apostle  of  the  Gen- 
tiles, who  certainly  understood  the  prophecies  better  than 
any  of  us  can  pretend  to  do,  saith  of  the  infidelity  of  the 
Jews.  Some  of  the  Gentiles  of  his  time  valued  them- 
selves upon  their  superior  advantages,  and  he  reproves 
them  for  it,  that  they  who  '  were  cut  out  of  the  olive-tree 
which  is  wild  by  nature;  and  were  graffed  contrary  to  na- 
o  2 


162-  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ture  into  a  good  olive-tree,*  should  presume  to  *  boast 
against  the  natural  branches;'  ver.  xxiv.  18.  but  what 
would  he  have  said,  how  would  he  have  flamed  and  light- 
ened, if  they  had  made  religion  an  instrument  of  fac- 
tion, and  had  been  for  stirring  up  a  persecution  against 
them  ?  We  should  consider,  that  to  them  we  owe  the 
oracles  of  God,  the  scriptures  of  the  New  Testament  as 
well  as  the  Old;  we  should  consider,  that  Me  glorious 
comfiany  of  the  afioatles^fV^^WQW  as  the  goodly  fellow shifi  of 
the  firofihets  were  Jews  ;  we  should  consider,  that  of  them 
as  concerning  the  f/'sh  Christ  came^  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  :  and  surely  something  of  kindness  and  gratitudp 
is  due  for  such  infinite  obligations.  Though  they  are 
now  broken  off,  yet  they  are  not  utterly  cast  away.  *  Be- 
cause of  unbelief,'  as  St.  Faul  argues,  ver.  20.  ^  they 
were  broken  otF,  and  thou  standest  by  faith  ;  Be  not  high 
minded,  but  fear.*  There  will  be  a  time,  when  they  will 
be  gralFed  in  again,  and  again  become  the  people  of  God ; 
for  as  the  apostle  proceeds,  ver.  25,  26.  '1  would  not 
brethren  that  ye  should  be  ignorant  of  this  mystery  (lest 
ye  should  be  wise  in  your  own  conceits)  that  blindness  in 
.part  is  happened  to  Israel,  until  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles 
be  come  in  ;  and  so  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.*  And  which 
(think  ye)  is  the  most  likely  method  to  contribute  to  their 
conversion,  which  are  the  most  natural  means  to  recon- 
cile them  to  us  and  our  religion,  prayer,  argument,  long- 
suffering,  gentleness,  goodness  ;  or  noise  and  invective, 
injury  and  outrage,  the  malice  of  some,  and  the  folly  and 
madness  of  more  !  They  cannot  be  worse  than  when  they 
crucified  the  Son  of  God,  and  persecuted  his  apostles : 
but  what  saith  our  Saviour  ?  Luke  xxiii.  34.  '  Father, 
forgive  them,  for  they  know  not  what  they  do  :*  what 
saith  his  apostle  St.' Paul?  Rom.  x.  1.  'Brethren,  my 
heart's  desire  and  prayer  to  God  for  Israel  is,  that  they 
might  be  saved.*  In  conformity  to  these  blessed  exam- 
ples our  church  hath  also  taui^ht  us  to  pray  for  them : 
and  how  can  prayer  and  persecution  consist  and  agree  to- 
gether ?  They  are  only  pretended  friends  to  the  church, 
but  real  enemies  to  religion,  who  encourage  persecution 
of  any  kind.  All  true  sons  of  the  church,  all  true  pro- 
testants,  all  true  christians  will,  as  the  apostle  adviseth, 
Eph.  iv.  3 ! .  '  put  away  all  bitterness,  and  wrath,  and  an- 


THE  PROPHECIES.  I53 

ger,  and  clamour,  and  evil  r.pcaking;,  with  all  malice  ;'  and 
will  join  heart  and  voice  in  that  excellent  collect — Huve 
mercy  ufion  all  Jcnvs,  Turks,  injidtda,  and  heretics,  and 
take  from,  them  all  ignorance,  hardness  of  heart,  and  con- 
tempt of  thy  ivord  .-  and  so  fetch  them  home,  blessed  Lord, 
to  thyfock,  that  they  may  be  saved  among  the  remnant  of 
the  true  Israelites,  and  be  made  one  fold  under  our  Shefi^ 
herd,  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 


IX. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  NINEVEH. 

AS  the  Jews  were  the  peculiar  people  of  God,  the  pro- 
phets were  sent  to  them  chiefly,  and  the  main  subjects  of 
the  prophecies  are  the  various  changes  and  revolutions  in 
the  Jewish  church  and  state.  But  the  spirit  of  prophecy- 
is  not  limited  there  ;  other  subjects  are  occasionally  in- 
troduced ;  and  for  the  greater  manifestation  of  the  divine 
providence,  the  fate  of  other  nations  is  also  foretold  :  and 
especially  of  those  nations,  which  lay  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  Judea,  and  had  intercourse  and  connections  with 
the  Jews  ;  and  whose  good  or  ill  fortune  therefore  was  of 
some  concern  and  consequence  to  the  Jews  themselves. 
But  here  it  is  greatly  to  be  lamented,  that  of  these  east- 
ern nations,  and  of  these  early  times,  we  have  very  short 
and  imperfect  accounts ;  we  have  no  regular  histories, 
but  only  a  few  fragments  of  history,  which  have  escaped 
the  general  shipwreck  of  time.  If  we  possessed  the  As- 
syrian history  written  by  Abydenus,  and  the  Chaldean  by 
Berosus,  and  the  Egyptian  by  Manetho  ;  we  might  in  all 
probability  be  better  enabled  to  explain  the  precise  mean- 
ing, and  to  demonstrate  the  exact  completion  of  several 
ancient  prophecies  ;  but  for  want  of  such  helps  and  as- 
sistances we  must  be  glad  of  a  little  glimmering  light, 
wherever  we  can  see  it.  We  see  enough,  however, 
though  not  to  discover  the  beauty  and  exactness  of  each 
particular,  yet  to  make  us  admire  in  the  general  these 
wonders  of  providence,  and  to  show  that  the  condition  of 


1G4  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

cities  and  kingdoms  hath  been  such,  as  the  prophets  had 
long  ago  foretold.  And  we  will  begin  with  the  instance 
of  Nineveh. 

Nineveh  was  the  metropolis  of  the  Assyrian  empire, 
and  the  Assyrians  were  formidable  enemies  to  the  king- 
doms both  of  Israel  and  Judah.  In  the  days  of  Menahem 
king  of  Israel,  Pul  the  king  of  Assyria  invaded  the  land, 
and  was  bought  off  with  a  thousand  talents  of  silver,  2 
Kings  XV.  19.  A  few  years  afterwards  'in  the  days  of 
Pekah  king  of  Israel  came  Tiglath-pileser  king  of  Assy- 
ria, and  took  several  cities^  and  Gilead,  and  Galilee,  all 
the  land  of  Naphtali,  and  carried  them  captive  to  Assyria,* 
2  Kings  XV.  29.  The  same  Tiglath-pileser  was  invited 
by  Ahaz  king  of  Judah,  to  come  and  assist  him  against 
Rezin  king  of  Syria,  and  Pekah  king  of  Israel :  '  And 
Ahaz  took  the  silver  and  gold  that  was  found  in  the  house 
of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  treasures  of  the  king's  house,  and 
sent  it  for  a  present  to  the  king  of  Assyria,'  2  Kings  xvi. 
8.  The  king  of  Assyria  came  accordingly  to  his  assist- 
ance, and  routed  his  enemies  :  but  still,  as  another  sacred 
writer  saith,  'distressed  him,  and  strengthened  him  not,' 
2  Chron.  xxviii.  20.  A  little  after,  in  the  days  of  Hoshea 
kin  •  of  Israel,  '  Shalmaneser  the  king  of  Assyria  came 
up  thrpughout  all  the  land,'  and  after  a  siege  of  three 
years  '  took  Samaria,  and  carried  Israel  away  into  Assyria, 
and  placed  them  in  Halah,  and  in  Habor  by  the  river  of 
Gozan,  and  in  the  cities  of  the  Medes,'  2  Kings  xvii.  5, 
6.  It  was  '  in  the  sixth  year  of  Hezekiah,'  king  of  Ju- 
dah, that  Shalmaneser  king  of  Assyria  carried  Israel 
away  captive  :  and  'in  the  fourteenth  year  of  king  Heze- 
kiah, did  vSennacherib  king  of  Assyria  come  up  against 
all  the  fenced  cities  of  Judah,  and  took  them,'  2  Kings 
xviii.  10,  13.  And  the  king  of  Assyria  exacted  of  the 
king  of  Judah,  '  three  hundred  talents  of  silver,  and  thirty- 
talents  of  gold  ;  so  that  even  good  king  Hezekiah  was 
forced  to  '  give  him  all  the  silver  that  was  found  in  the 
house  of  the  Lord,  and  in  the  treasures  of  the  king's 
house,'  ver.  14,  15.  Sennacherib  notwithstanding  sent 
his  captains  '  with  a  great  host  against  Jerusalem,'  ver. 
17.  but   his  army  was  miraculously  defeated,*  and  he 

[*  Herodotus  mentions  this  destruction,  but  ascribes  it  to  a 
large  number  of  field  mice  devouring  in  i'.  night  their  shield- 


THE  PROPHECIES.  IGJ, 

Jiimself  was  afterwards  slain  at  Nineveh,  2  Kings  xix.  35, 
36,  37.  His  son  Esarhaddon  compleated  the  deportation 
of  the  Israelites,  'and  brought  men  from  Babylon,  and 
from  Cuthah,  and  from  Ava,  and  from  Hamath,  and  from 
Seph^rvaim,  and  placed  them  in  the  cities  of  Samaria, 
instead  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  and  they  possessed  Sama- 
ria, and  dwelt  in  the  cities  thereof/  2  Kings  xvii.  24.  Ezra 
iv.  2.  We  see  then  that  the  Assyrians  totally  destroyed 
the  Kingdom  of  Israel,  and  greatly  oppressed  the  king- 
dom of  Judah  :  and  no  wonder  therefore  that  they  are 
made  the  subject  of  several  pro])hecies. 

The  prophet  Isaiah  denounceth  the  judi2:nients  of  God 
against  Sennacherib  in  particular,  and  against  the  Assy- 
rians in  general.'  '  ()  Assyrian,  the  rod  of  mine  anger,* 
or  rather,  JVoc  to  the  Jhsyrian^  tin  rod  of  mine  ani^er^  x» 
5.  God  might  employ  them  as  the  ministers  of  his 
wrath,  and  executioners  of  his  vengeance  ;  and  so  make 
the  wickedness  of  some  nations  the  means  of  correcting 
that  of  others  :  '  I  will  send  him  against  an  hypocritical 
nation  ;  and  against  the  people  of  my  wrath  will  I  give 
him  a  charge  to  take  the  spoil,  and  to  take  the  prey,  and 
to  tread  them  down  like  the  mire  in  the  streets,'  ver.  6. 
But  it  was  far  from  any  intent  of  theirs  to  execute  the 
divine  will,  or  to  chastise  the  vices  of  mankind ;  they 
only  meant  to  extend  their  conquest,  and  .establish  their 
own  dominion  upon  the  ruins  of  others  :  '  Howbeit  he 
meaneth  not  so,  neither  doth  his  heart  think  so,  but  it  is 
in  his  heart  to  destroy,  and  cut  oif  nations  not  a  few,'  ver. 
7.     Wherefore  when  they  shall  have  served  the  purpo- 

straps,  quivers  and  bow-strings — Herapollo  says  that  the  Eg^'p- 
tians  to  signify  destruction  painted  a  mouse. — Ijoswell  in  his  lite 
of  Dr.  S.  Johnson  observes,  tiiat  it  was  a  subject  of  conversation 
between  them,  in  what  manner  so  great  a  multitude  of  Sennache- 
rib's army  was  destroyed.  "We  are  not  to  suppose,"  says  the 
doctor,  "  that  the  ang-el  went  about  with  a  sword  in  his  hand 
stabbing  them  one  by  one,  but,  that  some  powerful  natural  agent 
was  employed,  most  probably  the  Samiel."  The  Samiel  accord- 
ing- to  Mr.  Bruce  consists  of  a  meteor  **  appearing-  like  a  thin 
smoke  and  passing  with  a  gentle  ruffling  wind.  It  is  peculiarly 
fatal  to  persons  sleeping.  It  is  felt  and  is  compared  to  a  suffo- 
cating fire.  Its  extent  is  •very  considerable  ;  and  it  often  happens 
in  the  night."  God  says,  Isuiah  37.  7.  "Behold  1  will  send  a 
BLAST  upon  him."] 


166  DISSERTATION'S  OX 

ses  of  divine  providence,  they  shall  be  severely  punished 
for  their  pride  and  ambition,  their  tyranny  and  cruelty  to 
their  neighbours;  '  Wherefore  it  shall  come  to  pass,tliat 
when  the  Lord  hath  performed  his  whole  work  upon 
mount  Zion,  and  on  Jerusalem,  I  will  punish  the  fruit  of 
the  stout  heart  of  the  king-  of  Assyria,  and  the  glory  of 
his  high  looks,'  ver.  12.  There  was  no  prospect  of  such 
an  event,  while  the  Assyrians  were  in  the  midst  of  their 
successes  and  triumphs ;  but  still  the  word  of  the  pro- 
phet prevailed ;  and  it  was  not  long  after  these  calamities 
brought  upon  the  Jews,  of  which  we  have  given  a  short 
deduction,  that  the  \ssyrian  empire  properly  so  called 
was  overthrown,  and  Nineveh  destroyed. 

Nineveh,  or  Ninus,  as  it  was  most  usually  called  by 
the  Greeks  and  Romans,  was,  as  we  said  before,  the  capi- 
tal city  of  the  Assyrian  empire  ;  and  the  capital  is  fre- 
quently put  for  the  whole  empire,  the  prosperity  or  ruin 
of  the  one  being  involved  in  that  of  the  other.  This  was 
a  very  ancient  city,  being  built  by  Ashur,  or  as  others 
say,  by  Nimrod;  for  those  words  of  Moses,  Gen.  x.  11. 
which  our  translators,  together  with  most  of  the  ancient 
versions  render  thus.  Out  of  that  land  went  forth  Ashur ^ 
and  builded  Mneveh^  others  translate  it,  as  the  Chaldee* 
paraphrast  translates  them,  and  as  they  are  rendered  in 
the  margin  of  our  bibles,  Ont  of  that  land  he.,  that  is, 
Nimrod,  the  person  spoken  of  before,  ivnit  forth  into 
Assyria^  and  builded  A'ineveh.  It  is  well  known  that  the 
word  Ashur  in  Hebrew  is  the  name  of  the  country,  as 
well  as  the  name  of  the  man,  and  the  preposition  is  often 
omitted,  so  that  the  words  may  very  well  be  translated,  he 
iverit  forth  into  Assyria.  And  Moses  is  here  giving  an 
account  of  the  sons  of  Ham,  and  it  may  seem  foreign  to 
his  subject  to  intermix  the  story  of  any  of  the  sons  of 
Shem,  as  Ashur  was.  Moses  afterwaids  recounts  the  sons 
of  Shem  ;  and  Ashur  among  them  ;  and  it  is  presumed 
that  he  would  hardly  relate  his  actions,  before  he  had  men- 
tioned his  nativity,  or  even  his  name,  contrary  to  the  series 
of  the  genealogy  and  to  the  order  of  the  history.  But  this 
notwithstanding,  I  incline  to  understand  the  text  literally 
as  it  is  translated,  out  of  that  land  luent  forth  Ashur ^  be- 

*  "  Out  of  that  land  he  went  into  Assyria,"    See  Onkclos-» 


THE  rUOFIlEClES.  167 

ing  expelled  thence  by  Nimrod,  a7id  builded  Kincveh^ 
and  other  cities,  in  opposition  to  the  cities  which  Nimrod 
had  founded  in  the  land  of  Shinar.  And  neither  is  it  for- 
eign  to  the  subject,  nor  contrary  to  the  order  of  the  his- 
tory, upon  the  mention  of  Nimrod's  invading  and  seizing 
the  territories  of  Ashur,  to  relate  whither  Ashur  retreat- 
ed, and  where  he  fortified  himself  against  him.  But  by 
whom  soever  Nineveh  was  built,  it  might  afterwards  be 
greatly  enlarged  and  improved  by  Ninus,  and  called  after 
his  name,  whoever  Ninus  was,  for  that  is  altogether  un- 
certain. 

As  it  was  a  very  ancient,  so  was  it  likewise  a  very  great 
city.  In  Jonah  it  is  styled  that  great  city^  i.  2.  iii.  2.  an 
exceeding  great  city.,  iii.  3.  In  the  original  it  is  *  a  city 
great  to  God ;  in  the  same  manner  as  Moses  is  called  by 
St.  Stephen,  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  vii.  20.  <asteios 
to  Theo,*  fair  to  God,  or  exceeding  Jhir,  as  our  transla- 
tors rightly  render  it,  and  so  t/ie  7noiintains  of  God,  Psal. 
xxxvi.  6.  are  exceeding  high  mountains,  and  the  cedars 
of  God,  Psal.  Ixxx.  10.  are  exceeding  tall  cedars.  It  was 
therefore  an  exceeding  great  city  ;  and  the  scripture  ac- 
count is  confirmed  by  the  testimony  of  heathen  authors, 
Strabo  f  says,  that  Nineveh  was  much  greater  even  than 
Babylon  :  and  t  Diodorus  Siculus  from  Ctesias  affirms  that 
"its  builder  Ninus  proposed  to  build  a  city  of  such  mag- 
nitude, that  it  should  not  only  be  the  greatest  of  the  cities 
which  were  then  in  all  the  world,  but  that  none  of  those 
who  should  be  born  after  that  time,  attempting  the  like, 
should  easily  exceed  it  ;"  and  a  little  after  he  subjoins, 
that  "  nobody  afterwards  built  such  a  city,  either  as  to  the 


*  *  Gnir  Gedokh  Lelohlm,'  a  city  great  to  God.  'Polls  me- 
gale  to  Theo.'     See  Septiiagint. 

f  It  was  much  larger  than  Babylon.  See  Strabo,  Book  XVI. 
page  7ii7,  of  the  Paris  edition,  and  page  1071,  of  that  of  Amster- 
dam, printed  In  1707. 

i,  Also  he  (Ninus),  made  quick  dispatch  to  build  a  city  of  suck 
magnitude,  that  it  should  exceed  in  greatness,  not  only  all  that 
were  then  in  the  world,  but  that  no  person  afterwards  to  be  born 

engaging  in  a  like  work  should  go  beyond  it For  since,  none 

hath  ever  built  a  city  mclosing- a  larger  space,  or  with  walls 
more  magnificent.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  II.  page  65,  in 
Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  91,  92.  in  that  of  Rhodomauus. 


Ig^  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

greatness  of  the  compass,  or  as  to  the  magnificence  of  the 
walls."  It  is  added  in  Jonah  iii.  3.  that  it  was  *  '  an  ex- 
ceeding great  city  of  three  day's  journey,'  that  is  of  three 
days  journey  in  circuit,  as  St.  Jerome  and  the  best  com- 
mentators expound  it.  Strabo,  as  it  was  observed  before 
hath  said  that  Nineveh  was  much  larger  than  Babylon  ; 
and  a  little  afterwards  he  says,  that  t  the  circuit  of  Baby- 
lon was  385  furlongs:  but  t  Diodorus  Siculus  asserts, 
that  the  v/hole  circuit  of  Nineveh  was  480  furlongs; 
•which  §  make  somewhat  more  than  60  miles,  and  60 
miles  were  three  days  journey,  20  miles  a  day  being  the 
common  computation  of  a  foot  traveller.  It  is  farther  said 
in  Jonah,  iv.  11.  that  in  Nineveh  '  there  were  more  than 
sixscore  thousand  persons,  who  could  not  discern  between 
their  right  hand,  and  their  left  hand,  and  also  much  cat- 
tle.* I  think  it  is  !i  generally  calculated  that  the  young 
children  of  any  place  are  a  fifth  part  of  the  inhabitants  ; 
and  if  we  admit  of  that  calculation,  the  whole  number  of 
inhabitants  in  Nineveh  amounted  to  ^bove  six  hundred 
thousand :  which  number  will  appear  by  no  means  incre- 
dible, if  we  consider  the  dimensions  of  the  city  as  given 

*  A  large  city,  and  of  so  extensive  a  chxuit,  that  it  could 
scarcely  be  travelled  round  in  the  space  of  three  days.  See  Je- 
rome's Commentary  on  the  passag-e,  page  1486.  Vol.  III.  of  the 
Benedictine  edition. 

f  Its  walls  were  three  hundred  and  eighty-five  furlongs  in  cir- 
cumference. See  Strabo,  page  738  of  the  Paris  edition,  and 
page  1072,  of  that  of  Amsterdam,  published  in  1707. 

t  The  whole  circumference  (of  Nineveh)  measured  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty  furlongs.  See  Book  II.  page  56,  of  Stephanus' 
edition,  and  page  92,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

§  The  circumference  of  Nineveh  measured  four  hundred  and 
eighty  furlongs,  that  is  sixty  miles,  wliichwill  require  tlnee  days 
to  travel  round  it,  allowing  twenty  miles  for  each  day.  A  day's 
journey  was  considered  by  the  Roman  lawyers,  and  by  the  an- 
cient Greeks,  as  extending  to  this  number  of  miles.  Ilerodotus, 
in  Book  V.  Chap.  xxxv.  saith  they  marched  an  hundred  and  fif- 
ty furlongs  each  day. — Now  an  hundred  and  fifty  furlongs,  make 
twenty  miles.  The  Stadiaii  or  furlong  among  the  Greeks  being 
larger  than  ours.  See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  Book  IV.  Chap.  xx. — 
Col.  252. 

II  See  the  same  work  of  Bochart,  Col,  253.  Lowth*s  Commew- 
tary  and  Calinet's. 


THE   PROPlIECIfiS.  16y 

by  Diodorus  Sicnlus,  *  that  it  was  in  length  1 50  furlongs, 
in  breudth  90  furlongs,  and  in  circuit  480  furlongs,  that 
ia  20  miles  long,  about  12  miles  broad,  and  above  60  miles 
in  compass.  A  city  of  such  dimensions  might  easily  con- 
lain  such  a  number  of  inhabitants,  and  many  more  :  and 
at  the  same  time  there  might  be,  as  there  are  in  most  of 
the  great  cities  of  the  east,  large  vacant  spaces  for  gar- 
dens or  for  pasture  ;  so  that  there  might  be,  as  the  sacred 
text  asserts  there  was,  also  much  cattle.  But  according  to 
the  modern  method  f  ot  calculation  the  number  of  Nine- 
vites  is  reduced  much  lower.  For  allowing  that  the  num- 
i)er  of  infants  was  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand,  as  the 
scripture  saith  that  they  were  more  than  one  hundred  and 
twenty  thousand  ;  yet  these  making  but  three  tenths  of  the 
inhabitants,  the  number  of  the  citizens  will  appear  to  have 
amounted  to  four  hundred  and  twenty-three  thousand. — 
London  and  Paris  stand  not  upon  one  quarter  of  the 
ground,  and  yet  are  supposed  to  contain  more  inhabi- 
tants ;  London  even  more  than  the  former  calculation, 
und  Paris  more  than  the  latter ;  it  being  computed  +  that 
in  London  there  are  about  725,943  persons,  and  about 
437,478  in  Paris. 

The  inhabitants  of  Nineveh,  like  those  of  other  great 
cities,  abounding  in  wealth  and  luxury,  became  very  cor- 
rupt in  their  morals.  Whereupon  it  pleased  God  to  com- 
mission the  prophet  Jonah  to  preach  unto  them  the  ne- 
cessity of  repentance,  as  the  only  means  of  averting  their 
impending  destruction  :  and  such  was  the  success  of  his 
preaching,  that  both  the  king  and  the  people  repented 
and  turned  from  their  evil  ways,  and  thereby  for  a  time 
delayed  the  execution  of  the  divine  judgments.  Who 
this  king  of  Assyria  was,  we  cannot  be  certain,  we  can 
only  make  conjectures,  his  name  not  being  mentioned  in 
the  i3ook  of  Jonah.  Archbishop  Usher  §  supposeth  him 
to  have  been  Pul  the  king  of  Assyria,  who  afterward  in- 

*  Each  of  the  two  longer  sides  measured  one  hundred  and 
fifty  furlongs,  and  each  of  the  two  shorter  ninety .  See  Diodorus 
Siculus  in  the  same  place. 

f  See  Maitland's  History  of  London,  BooklHChap.  li.  page  543. 

4:  See  Maithmd,  page  541  and  548. 

§  See  Usher's  Annals,  year  of  the  world  32.13^  page  5^,  and 
Lavvth's  Comme^itary. 

VOL.  I.  P 


170  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

vaded  the  kingdom  of  Israel,  in  the  days  of  Menahem  ;  2 
Kings  XV.  19.  it  being  very  agreeable  to  the  methods  of 
providence,  to  make  use  of  an  heathen  king  who  was  pe- 
nitent, to  punish  the  impenitency  of  God's  own  people 
Israel.  But  it  should  seem  more  probable,  that  this  prince 
was  one  of  the  kings  of  Assyria,  before  any  of  those  who 
are  mentioned  in  scripture.  For  Jonah  is  reckoned  the 
most  ancient  of  all  the  prophets,  usually  so  called,  whose 
writings  are  preserved  in  the  canon  of  scripture.  We 
know  that  he  prophecied  of  the  restoration  of  the  coasts 
of  Israel  taken  by  the  king  of  Syria,  which  was  accom- 
plished by  Jeroboam  the  second  :  2  Kings  xiv.  25.  and 
therefore  Jonah  must  have  lived  before  that  time ;  and 
is  with  great  reason  supposed  by  Bishop  Lloyd,  in  his 
Chronological  Tables  to  have  prophecied  at  the  latter  end 
of  Jehu's,  or  the  beginning  of  the  reign  of  Jehoahaz, 
when  the  kingdom  of  Israel  was  reduced  very  low,  and 
greatly  oppressed  by  Hazael  king  of  Syria,  2  Kings  x. 
32.  If  he  prophecied  at  that  time,  there  intervened  Je- 
hoahaz's  reign  of  seventeen  years,  Joash's  reign  of  six- 
teen years,  Jeroboam's  of  forty  and  one  years,  Zachariah's 
of  six  months,  Shallum's  of  one  month,  and  Menahem 
was  seated  on  the  throne  of  Israel,  before  any  mention 
is  made  of  Pul,  the  king  of  Assyria :  and  therefore  we 
may  reasonably  conclude  from  the  distance  of  time,  which 
was  above  seventy  years,  that  Jonah  was  not  sent  to  Pul 
the  king  of  Assyria,  but  to  one  of  his  predecessors,  though 
to  whom  particularly  we  are  unable  to  discover,  for  the 
want  before  complained  of,  the  want  of  Assyrian  histories, 
which  no  doubt  would  have  related  so  memorable  a  trans- 
action. 

But  this  repentance  of  the  Ninevites,  we  may  presume 
was  of  no  long  continuance.  For  not  many  years  after 
we  find  the  pfophet  Nahum  foretelling  the  total  and  en- 
lire  destruction  of  the  city  ;  though  there  is  no  certainty 
of  the  time  of  Nahum's,  any  more  than  of  Jonah's  pro- 
phecying.  Josephus*  saith,  that  he  flourished  in  the  time 

*  And  there  was  a  certain  prophet  at  this  time,  whose  name 
was  Nahum. — All  these  thing's  which  were  foretold  by  him  con- 
cernuig  Nineveh,  were  accomplished  one  hundred  and  fifteen 


THE  PllOPHEClES.  171 

of  Jotham  kingoFJudah,  and  that  ail  the  things  which  he 
foretold  concerning  Nineveh  came  to  pass  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  years  afterwards.  St.  Jerome  *  placeth  him 
under  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  and  saith  that  liis  name 
by  interpretation  is  a  comforter  ;  for  the  ten  tribes  bein?.'; 
carried  away  by  the  kino-  of  Assyria,  this  vision  was  to 
comfort  them  in  their  captivity  ;  nor  was  it  a  less  conso- 
lation to  the  other  two  tribes  of  Judah  and  IBenjamin,  who 
remained  in  the  land,  and  were  besieged  by  the  same  ene- 
mies, to  hear  that  these  conquerors  would  in  time  be  con- 
quered themselves,  their  city  be  taken,  and  their  empire 
overthrown.  Ail  that  is  said  of  him  in  scripture  is  A^'ur 
hum  the  Elkoshitt^  Nahum  i.  1.  which  title  in  all  proba- 
bility was  given  him  from  the  place  of  his  nativity;  and 
St.  Jerome  f  supposeth  it  to  have  been  a  village  in  Gali- 
lee, the  ruins  wher.-of  were  shown  to  him,  when  he  tra- 
velled in  those  parts.  Now  we  learn  from  the  sacred  his- 
tory, 2  Kings  XV.  29.  that  the  people  of*  Galilee  were  ta- 
ken by  Tiglathpileser  king  of  Assyria,  and  carried  cap- 
tive into  Assyria.'  It  is  notimprolmble  therefore,  that  at 
that  time  this  prophet,  who  v^'as  a  Galilean,  might  be  in- 
structed to  foretel  the  fall  of  Nineveh:  and  that  time  co- 
incides with  the  reign  of  Jotham  king  of  Judah,  which 

years  afterwards.  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  IX.  C'lap. 
xi.  Sect.  3.  page  422,  and  423,  of  Hudson's  edition. 

*  Nahum,  which  is  by  interpretation  **a  Comforter."  For  du- 
ring" the  reign  of  lie/ekiah  the  king  of  Judah,  the  ten  tribes  had 
been  led  into  captivity  by  the  Assyrians,  and  at  that  very  time 
tlie  prophet  had  a  vision  against  Nineveh,  for  the  comfort  of 
these  captives.  Nor  was  his  vision  calculated  to  afford  small  con- 
solation only  to  such  of  the  Israelites  as  were  now  in  bondage  to 
tlie  Assyrians,  but  to  the  remaining  tribes  of  Judah  and  Benja- 
min, under  the  government  of  Hezekiah,  wlio  were  now  attack- 
ed by  the  same  enemies;  when  they  slioulil  fearn  that tlic  Assy- 
rians in  their  turn  would  be  led  into  captivity  by  the  Chaldces, 
as  will  be  shewn  in  the  sequel  of  this  book.  Sec  Jerome's  pre- 
face to  the  book  of  Nahum,  page  1553,  Vol.  III.  of  the  Bcuedic- 
tine  edition. 

f  Elkosh,  at  this  veiy  day  is  a  village  in  Galilee,  small  indeed 
and  scarcely  in  its  ruins  discovering  any  vestiges  of  its  ancient, 
buildings.  It  is, however,  wellknov/nto  the  Jews,  and  was  point- 
ed out  to  me  by  my  conductor.  See  Jerome  in  the  same  place, 
page  1559. 


1T2  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

is  the  time  assigned  for  Nahum's  prophecying  by  Jo- 
sephus.  But  if  Josephus  was  right  in  this  particular, 
he  was  wrong  in  another ;  for  more  than  one  hundred 
and  fifteen  years  intervened  between  the  reign  of  Jotham 
king  of  Judah,  and  the  desti*uction  of  Nineveh^as  it  is  usu- 
ally computed  by  chronologers.  There  is  one  thing, 
^yhich  might  greatly  assist  us  in  fixing  the  time  of  Na- 
luim's  prophecying  ;  and  that  is  the  destruction  of  No- 
Amon  or  Diospolis  in  Egypt,  which  he  mentions,  chap, 
iii.  8,  &c.  as  a  late  transaction,  if  we  could  know  certain- 
ly, when  that  destruction  happened,  or  by  whom  it  wfts 
effected.  It  is  commonly  attributed  to  Nebuchadnez- 
Xar ;  but  tlmt  time  is  too  late,  and  the  destruction  of 
No-Amon  would  fall  out  after  the  destruction  of  Nineveh 
instead  of  before  it.  Dr.  Prideaux  *  with  more  reason 
believes,  that  it  was  eftected  by  Sennacherib,  before  he 
marched  against  Jerusalem  ;  and  then  Nahum's  prophe- 
cying would  coincide  exactly  with  the  reign  of  Hezekiah, 
which  is  the  time  assigned  for  it  by  St.  Jeron.e. 

But  whenever  it  was  that  Nahumprophecied,  he  plainly 
and  largely  foretold  the  destruction  of  Nineveh  ;  his  whole 
prophecy  relates  to  this  single  event ;  and  the  city  was 
accordingly  destroyed  by  the  Medes  and  Babylonians. 
This  point  I  think  is  generally  agreed  upon,  that  Nineveh 
was  taken  and  destroyed  by  the  iVIedes  and  Babylonians  ; 
these  two  rebelling  and  uniting  together  subverted  the 
Assyrian  empire  :  but  authors  differ  much  about  the  time 
when  Nineveh  was  taken,  and  about  the  king  of  Assyria 
in  whose  reign  it  was  taken,  and  even  about  the  persons 
who  had  the  command  in  this  expedition.  llerodotusf 
affirms,  that  it  was  taken  by  Cyaxares  king  of  the  Medes ; 
St.  Jerome  after  the  Hebrew  chronicle  |  asserts  that  it 

*  See  Brideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  I.  year  713,  and  15 
of  Hezekiah. 

f  See  also  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cvi.  pag-e  45,  in  Gale's 
edition. 

^  Jerome  on  Nah.  ii.  12.  page  1574.  Vol.  3,  of  the  Benedictine 
edition,  saith,  that  Seder  01am  liabba  ascribes  the  taking-  of 
Nineveli  to  Xehuchodnosor  alone,  and  fixes  the  time.  For  in  his 
first  year,  Nebuchodnosor  took  Nineveh,  that  is,  soon  after  tlte 

death  of  his  father. This  Hebrew  Chronicle  is  followed  by 

Jerome,  &c.  See  ulso  Marsham's  Chronicle  of  the  XYHI.  age, 
pag-e  559. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  I73 

>vas  taken  by  Nebuchodnosor  king  of  the  Babylonians  : 
but  these  accounts  may  be  easily  reconciled,  for  Cyaxares 
and  Nebuchodnosor  might  take  it  with  their  joint  forces, 
as  they  actually  did  according  to  that  which  is  written  in 
the  book  of  Tobit,  xiv.  15.  if  the  Assuerus  in  Tobit  be 
the  same  (as  there  is  great  reason  to  think  him  the  same) 
with  the  Cyaxares  of  Herodotus  ;  But  before  Tobiiis  died, 
he  heard  of  the  deslruction  of  J^inevrh^  which  was  taken 
by  JVebuchodnosor  and  Assiceriis  ;  and  before  his  death  he 
rejoiced  over  Minevfh.  Josepluis,  *  whosaith  in  one  place 
that  the  empire  of  the  Assyrians  was  dissolved  by  the 
Medes,  saith  in  another  that  the  Medes  and  Babylonians 
dissolved  the  empire  of  the  Assyrians.  Herodotus  him- 
self saith  t  that  the  Medes  took  Nineveh,  and  subdued  the 
Assyrians,  except  the  Babylonian  portion  ;  the  reason  of 
which  was,  the  Babylonians  were  their  allies  and  confede- 
rates. Ctesias,  and  after  him  Diodorus  Siculus:^  ascribe 
the  taking  of  Nineveh,  and  the  subversion  of  the  Assyrian 
empire  to  Arbaces  the  Mede,  assisted  by  Belesis  the  Ba- 
bylonian. I  know  that  Eusebius,§  and  after  him  several 
excellent  chronologers,  Usher,  Pridej:ux,  and  others  reck- 
on this  quite  a  diiFerent  action,  and  fix  it  at  quite  a  differ- 
ent time  ;  but  it  is  not  likely  that  the  same  city  should  be 
twice  destroyed,  and  the  same  empire  twice  overthrown 
by  the  same  people  twice  confederated  together.     Diodo- 

*  The  empire  of  the  Assyrians  was  destroyed  by  the  Medes. 
See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  2,  page  4S5. 
The  Medes  and  the  Bab3'lonians  who  had  destroyed  the  empire 
of  the  Assyrians.  See  the  same,  Chap.  v.  Sect.  1,  page  441,  in 
Hudson's  edition. 

j  They  (the  Medes,)  took  Nineveh,  and  subdued  the  Assyri- 
ans, excepting  that  quarter  which  pertained  to  Babylon.  See 
Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cvi.  page  45,  in  Gale's  edition. 

\  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  H.  page  78,  in  Stephanas'  edi- 
tion, and  page  110,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

§  Eusebius  (according  to  the  plan  which  he  had  adopted,) 
hath  stated  both  these  opinions.  For  following  Ctesias  he  saith, 
Arbaces  the  Mede,  Num.  1197,)  having  destroyed  the  empire  of 
the  Assyrians,  transferred  tlie  sovereignty  to  the  Medes.  And 
a^ain,  (213  years  afrerwards,)  upon  the  credit  of  Heiodotus, 
(Num.  1410,)  he  saith,  Cyaxares  the  Mede  destroyed  Nineveh. 
But  these  assertions  are  inconsistent.  See  Marsham's  Chronicle 
of  the  Xym  age,  page  556. 

p  2 


174  DISSERTAXrONS  ON 

riis,  who  relates  this  catastrophe,  cloth  not  mention  tJie 
other ;  but  saith  expressly,*  that  Arbaces  distributed  the 
citizens  of  Nineveh  in  the  country  villages,  levelled  the 
city  with  the  ground,  transferred  many  talents  of  gold 
and  silver  to  Ecbatana  the  royal  city  of  the  Medes  ;  and 
so,  saith  he,  the  empire  of  the  Assyrians  was  subverted. 
If  there  is  some  difficulty  in  discovering  the  persons  by 
whom  Nineveh  was  taken,  there  is  more  in  ascertaining  the 
king  of  Assyria  in  whose  reign  it  was  taken,  and  more 
still  in  fixing  the  time  when  it  was  taken,  scarce  any  two 
chronologers  agreeing  in  the  same  date  :  but  as  these 
kings  are  hardly  possible  to  be  known,  so  neither  are  they 
necessary  to  be  known,  with  precision  and  exactness; 
and  we  may  safely  leave  them  among  the  uncertaiRties  of 
ancient  chronology. 

It  is  sufficient  for  our  purpose,  that  Nineveh  was  taken 
and  destroyed  according  to  the  predictions  :  and  Nahum 
foretold  not  only  the  thing,  but  also  the  manner  of  it. 
Herodotus  promised  to  relate  in  his  Assyrian  history  how 
Nineveh  was  taken  ;t  the  Medes  took  Nineveh,  saith  he, 
but  how  they  took  it,  I  will  show  in  another  work.  Again 
afterwards  he  mentions  his  design  of  writing  the  Assyrian 
history.  Speaking  of  the  kings  of  Babylon,  he  saith,:^  of 
these  I  shall  make  mention  in  the  Assyrian  history.  I3ut 
to  our  regret,  tins  history  was  never  finished,  or  is  lost. 
More  probably  it  was  never  finished,  for  otherwise  some 
or  other  of  the  ancients  would  have  mentioned  it.  If  it 
had  been  extant  with  his  other  works,  it  would  in  all  pro- 

*  But  Arbaces  havin.^  collected  the  inhabitants  of  Nineveh, 
dispersed  them  among  the  country  villages. — He  levelled  the 
city  with  the  grotmd. — Then  he  conveyed  the  gold  and  silver,  of 
which  there  were  many  talents,  to  Ecbatana,  the  metropolis  of 
Media.  In  this  manner  the  dominions  of  the  Assyrians  were 
put  an  end  to,  by  the  Medes.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  II. 
pnge  81,  in  Stephanas'  edition,  and  page  115,  in  that  of  Rhodo- 
manus. 

t  And  they  also  took  Nineveh,  (hut  in  what  manner,  I  will 
shew  elscwliere.)  See  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cvi.  page  45, 
m  Gale's  edition. 

4  Of  whom,  in  giving  an  accountof  the  Assyrians,  I  shall  make 
mention,  Book  I.  Chap,  clxxxiv.  page  76,  of  Gale's  edition.  See 
also  Vossius'  Grecian  History,  Book  1.  Chap.  iii.  And  also  Fa- 
i)ricius'  Greek  Library,  Book  II.  Chap.  xx. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  1^5 

bability  have  been  of  great  service  in  illustrating  seve- 
ral passages  in  Nahum's  prophecies.  It  is  however 
something  fortunate,  that  we  can  in  some  measure  supply 
this  loss  out  of  Diodorus  Siculus.  Nahum  prophecies* 
that  the  Assyrians  should  be  taken  while  they  were  drunk- 
en, i.  10.  '  For  while  they  be  folden  together  as  thorns, 
and  while  they  are  drunken  as  drunkards,  they  shall  be 
devoured  as  stubble  fully  dry  :'  and  Diodorus  *  relates^, 
that  "  it  was  while  all  the  Assyrian  army  were  feasting 
for  their  former  victories,  that  those  about  Arbaces  being 
informed  by  some  deserters  of  the  negligence  and  drunk- 
enness in  the  camp  of  the  enemies,  assaulted  them  unex- 
pectedly by  night,  and  falling  orderly  on  them  disorderly, 
and  prepared  on  them  unprepared,  became  masters  of  the 
camp,  and  slew  many  of  the  soldiers,  and  drove  the  rest 
into  the  city."  Nahum  foretels,  ii.  6.  "that  the  gates  of 
the  rivers  shall  be  opened,  and  the  palace  shall  be  dis- 
solved :"  and  Diodorus f  informs  us,  "that  there  was  an 

*  While  the  whole  (Assyrian)  army  was  devoting  itself  to 
feasting,  Arbaces,  by  means  of  deserters,  having  learned  their 
negligence  and  drunkenness,  attacks  them  suddenly  by  night. 
And  because  his  army  was  well  arranged  and  prepared'for  the 
onset,  and  the  case  of  the  enemy  the  very  reverse,  he  easily  made 
himself  master  of  their  camp,  put  a  vast  number  of  the  soldiers 
to  the  sword,  and  chased  the  rest  into  the  city.  See  Diodorus 
Siculus,  Book  H.  page  80,  of  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  112, 
of  that  of  Tlhodcmanus. 

f  But  there  was  a  prophecy  handed  down  by  tradition  from 
their  ancestors,  that  Nineveh  could  never  be  taken,  till  the  river 
had  first  become  its  enemy. — At  length  it  came  to  pass  in  the 
third  year,  that  the  Euphrates,  (Tigris)  increasing  by  the  heavi- 
est showers  of  rain,  which  were  of  long  continuance,  overflowed 
a  part  of  the  city,  and  with  its  torrent,  brake  down  about  twenty 
furlongs  of  the  vs-all.  Then  the  king  thinking  that  the  prophecy 
was  accomplished,  and  that  the  river  M'as  now  evidentlj-  become 
an  enemy  lO  the  city,  fell  into  despair.  Lest,  therefore,  he  should 
fall  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies,  he  caused  a  large  funeral  pile 
to  be  constructed  in  the  midst  of  his  palace.  Into  this  he  or- 
dered to  be  conveyed  all  his  gold,  silver,  and  royal  apparel.— 
Then  having  shut  up  his  concubines  and  eunuchs  with  himself, 
in  an  apartment  in  the  centre  thereof,  he  set  fire  to  it,  all  of 
which,  with  the  palace,  was  reduced  to  ashes.  As  soon  as  the 
revolters  from  the  king  heard  of  his  death,  they  entered  by  a 
breach  made  in  the  wall,  and  took  the  city.  Sec  Diodorus  Sicu- 
lus, Book  II.  page  80,  of  Stephanus'  edition,  and  paye  113,  in 
that  of  Rhodomaniis. 


1  YQ  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

old  prophecy,  that  Nineveh  should  not  be  taken,  till  the 
river  became  an  enemy  to  the  city ;  and  in  the  third  year 
of  the  siege,  the  river  being  swoln  with  continual  rains 
o.verliowed  part  of  the  city,  and  broke  down  the  wall  for 
20  furlongs;  then  the  king-  thinking  that  the  oracle  was 
fulfilled,  and  the  river  become  an  enemy  to  the  city,  built 
a  large  funeral  pile  in  the  palace,  and  collecting  together 
all  his  wealth  and  concubines  and  eunuchs,  burnt  himself 
and  the  palace  with  them  all ;  and  the  enemy  entered 
the  breach  that  the  waters  had  made,  and  took  the  city." 
What  was  predicted  in  the  first  chapter,  ver.  8.  was 
therefore  literally,  fulfilled,  '  With  an  over-running  flood 
he  will  make  an  utter  end  of  the  place  thereof.*  Nahum 
promises  the  enemy  much  spoil  of  gold  and  silver-,  ii.  19. 
'  Take  ye  the  spoil  of  silver,  take  the  spoil  of  gold ;  for 
there  is  no  end  of  the  store,  and  glory  out  of  all  the  plea- 
sant furniture  :'  and  we  read  in  Diodorus,  *  that  Arbaces 
carried  many  talents  of  gold  and  silver  to  Ecbatana  the 
royal  city  of  the  Medes.  According  to  Nahum  i.  8.  iii. 
15.  the  city  was  to  be  destroyed  by  fire  and  water;  and 
we  see  in  Diodorus,  that  by  fire  and  water  it  was  destroy- 
ed. 

But  Nahum  is  cited  upon  this  occasion  principally  to 
show,  that  he  foretold  the  total  and  entire  destruction  of 
this  city.  '  The  Lord,  saith  he  in  the  first  chapter,  ver. 
8,  9.  'with  an  over-running  flood  will  make  an  utter 
end  of  the  place  there  ;.he  will  make  an  utter  end  ;  aflPiic- 
tion  shall  not  rise  up  the  second  time.'  Again  in  the 
second  chapter,  ver.  11,13.*  Where  is  the  dwelling  of  the 
lions,  and  the  feeding  place  of  the  young  lions  ?*  meaning 
Nineveh  whose  princes  rfivaged  like  lions:  *  Behold,  I 
am  against  thee,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts;  and  I  will  cut 
oflf  thy  prey  from  the  earth,  and  the  voice  of  thy  messen- 
gers shall  no  more  be  heard.  And  again  in  the  third  and 
^ast  chapter,  ver.  17,  18,  19.  *  Thy  crowned  are  as  the 
locusts,  and  thy  captains  as  the  great  grashoppers,  which 
camp  in  the  hedges  in  the  cold  day ;  but  when  the  sun 

*  Then  having  collected  whatever  gold  and  silver  the  fire  of 
the  funeral  pile  had  not  cnnsiimcd.  unmounting  to  many  talents, 
lie  carried  them  oft'  to  Ecbatana  of  Media.  Diodorus  Sicuhis, 
Book  II.  page  81,  of  Slephanus'  edition  and  page  115,  in  that  of 
Ehodoman^s. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  177 

ariseth,  they  flee  away,  and  in  tlieir  place  is  not  known 
where  they  are,'  or  have  been  ;  '  thy  shepherds  slumber, 
O  king  of  Assyria:  thy  nobles  shall  dwell  in  the  dust ; 
thy  people  is  scattered  upon  llie  mountains,  and  no  man 
gathereth  them;  there  is  no  healing-  of  thy  bruise;  thy 
wound  is  grievous  ;  all  that  hear  the  bruise  of  thee  shall 
clap  the  hands  over  thee  ;  for  upon  whom  hath  not  thy 
wickedness  passed  continually  ?  The  prophet  Zephaniah 
likewise  in  the  days  of  Josiah  king  of  Judah  foretold  the 
same  sad  event,  ii.  13,  14,  15.  The  Lord  v/ill  stretch  out 
his  hand  against  the  north,  and  destroy  Assyria,  and  will 
make  Nineveh  a  desolation,  and  dry  like  a  wilderness :. 
and  flocks  shall  Jic  down  in  the  midst  of  her,  all  the  beasts 
of  the  nations  ;  both  the  cormorant  and  the  bittern  shall 
lodge  in  the  upper  lintels  of  it ;  their  voice  shall  sing  in 
the  windows ;  desolation  shall  be  in  the  thresholds ;  for  he 
shall  uncover  the.  cedar  work ;  this  is  the  rejoicing  city 
that  dwelt  carelessly,  that  said  in  her  heart,  I  am,  and 
there  is  none  beside  me  ;  how  is  she  become  a  desolation, 
a  place  for  beasts  to  lie  down  in  !  every  one  that  passeth 
by  her,  shall  hiss  and  wag  his  hand.'  *  But  what  proba- 
bility was  there  that  the  capital  city  of  a  great  kingdom, 
a  city  which  was  sixty  miles  in  compass,  a  city  which 
contained  so  many  thousand  inhabitants,  a  city  which  had 
walls,  according  to  Diodorus  Siculus,t  a  hundred  feet 

*  ["  The  entire  desolation  of  Nineveh  is  in  this  prophecy  most 
expressly  and  particularly  foretold,  yet  no  event  can  be  imagined 
more  improbable  at  the  time  when  Nahiim  wrote  than  this  was. 
The  entire  desolation  of  London,  so  that  none  could  decide  where 
this  great  metropolis  was  situated,  would  not  be  considered  by 
uSj  as  more  improbable  than  the  desolations  of  Nineveh  must 
liave  appeared  at  that  day ;  when  it  was  the  most  populous  and 
powerful  city  in  the  known  world.  The  discordant  opinions, 
^  relative  to  the  spot  where  once  it  stood'  is  the  completest  proof 
imaginable  that  the  prediction  has  been  most  wonderfully  ac- 
complished, and  that  it  was  deliverd  by  the  inspiration  of  that 
God,  known  unto  whom  are  all  his  works  from  the  beginning."] 

Scott. 

f  For  its  wall  rose  to  the  heighth  of  a  hundred  feet,  its 
breadth  was  so  extended,  that  three  chariots  abreast  could  quite 
easily  be  driven  along.  The  number  of  its  towers  amounted  to 
fifteen  hundred,  and  the  heighth  of  each  of  them  was  two  hun- 
dred feet.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  II.  page  65,  of  Stephanas' 
edition,  and  page  92,  of  that  of  lihodomanus. 


1 78  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

high,  and  so  thick  that  three  chariots  could  go  abreast 
upon  them,  and  fifteen  hundred  towers  at  proper  distances 
in  the  walls  of  two  hundred  feet  in  heighth;  what  proba- 
bility was  there,  I  say,  that  such  a  city  should  ever  be  to- 
tally destroyed  ?  and  yet  so  totally  >va3  it  destroyed,  that 
the  place  is  hardly  known  where  it  was  situated. 

We  have  seen  that  it  was  taken  and  destroyed  by  the 
Medes  and  Babylonians :  and  what  we  may  suppose  help- 
ed to  complete  its  ruin  and  devastation  was  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's soon  afterwards  enlarging  and  beautifying  of  Ba- 
bylon. From  that  time  no  mention  is  made  of  Nineveh 
by  any  of  the  sacred  writers  ;  and  the  most  ancient  of  the 
heathen  authors,  who  have  occasion  to  say  any  thing 
about  it,  speak  of  it  as  a  city  that  was  once  great  and 
flourishing,  but  now  destroyed  and  desolate.  Great  as  it 
was  formerly,  so  little  of  it  was  remaining,  that  authors 
are  not  agreed  even  about  its  situation.  I  think  v/e  may 
conclude  from  the  general  suffrage  of  ancient  historians 
and  geographers,  that  it  was  situated  upon  tlie  river  Ti- 
gris ;  but  yet  no  less  authors  than  Ctesias  and  Diodorus 
Siculus  *  represent  it  as  situated  upon  the  river  Euphrates. 
Nay,  authors  differ  not  only  from  one  another,  but  alsQ 
from  themselves.  For  the  learned  Bochartf  hath  shown 
that  Herodotus,  Diodorus  Siculus,  and  Ammianus  Mar- 
cellinus,  all  three  speak  differently  of  it,  sometimes  as  if 
it  was  situated  upon  the  river  Tigris,  and  sometimes  as 
if  it  was  situated  upon  the  River  Euphrates.  So  that  to 
reconcile  these  authors  with  themselves  and  with  others, 
it  is  supposed  by  Bocharl  :|:  that  there  were  two  Ninevehs, 
and  by  Sir  John  Marsham§  that  there  were  three  ;  the  Sy- 
rian upon  the  river  Euphrates,  the  Assyrian  upon  the 
river  Tigris,  and  a  third  built  afterwards  upon  the  Tigris 

*  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  page  80,  of  Stephanas*  edition,  and 
page  113,  of  that  of  Rliodomanus. 

t  See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  Book  IV.  Chap.  xx.  Col.  248,  249. 

4:  I  cannot  see  how  to  reconcile  these  thing-s,  but  by  supposing 
there  were  two  Ninevehs;  one  of  them  situaled  on  the  banks  of 
the  Euphrates  in  Comagena,  the  other  beyond  the  river  Tigris 
•  In  Assyria.     See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  and  sanic  place. 

§  In  the  writings  of  the  ancients,  mention  is  made  of  three  Ni- 
rtevchs  ;  one  in  Syi-ia,  another  in  Assyria,  and  a  third  in  Pcrsiy. 
See  Mavsliam's  Chroulclc  of  the  XV  III  age,  page  569. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  17<^ 

by  the  Persians,  who  succeeded  the  Parthians  in  the  em- 
pire of  the  east  in  the  third  century,  and  were  subdued  by 
the  Saracens  in  the  seventh  century  after  Clirist :  but, 
whether  this  later  Nineveh  was  built  in  the  same  place  as 
old  Nineveh,  is  a  question  that  cannot  be  decided.  'Lu- 
cian,  *  who  flourished  in  the  second  century  after  Christ, 
aftirms,  that  Nineveh  was  utterly  perished,  and  there  was 
no  footstep  of  it  remaining,  nor  could  you  tell  where  once 
it  was  situated ;  and  the  greater  regard  is  to  be  paid  to 
Lucian's  testimony,  as  he  was  a  native  of  Samosata,  a 
city  upon  the  river  Euphrates,  and  coming  from  a  neigh- 
bouring country  he  must  in  all  likelihood,  have  known 
whether  there  had  been  any  remains  of  Nineveh  or  not. 
There  is  at  this  time  a  city  called  Mosul,  situate  upon 
the  western  side  of  the  river  Tigris,  and  on  the  opposite 
astern  shore  are  ruins  of  a  great  extent,  which  are  said  to 
be  the  ruins  of  Nineveh.  Benjamin  of  Tudela,  t  who 
Avrote  his  Itinerary  in  the  year  of  Christ  1173,  infonns 
us,  that  there  is  only  a  bridge  between  Mosul  and  Nine- 
veh ;  this  latter  is  laid  waste,  yet  hath  it  many  streets  and 
castles.  But  another,  who  wrote  in  1300,  asserts  that 
Nineveh  at  present  is  totally  laid  waste,  but  by  the  ruins 
which  are  still  to  be  seen  there,  we  may  firmly  believe 
that  it  was  one  of  the  greatest  cities  in  the  world.  The 
same  thing  is  attested  by  later  travellers,  and  particularly 
by  Thevenot,  I  upon  whose  authority  Prideaux  relates 

*  Nineveh  hath  so  perished,  that  no  vestige  of  it  at  present 
remaineth,  nor  can  it  be  easily  ascertained  where  formerly  it 
stood.     See  Lucian's  Contemplations  near  the  end. 

t  Benjamin  of  Tudela,  who  v/rote  his  Itinerary  in  the  year  of 
our  Lord  1173,  sai  h  (page  62.)  that  between  Moz,al  and  Nineveli 
there  is  at  present  only  a  bridge.     The  latter  place  is  in  ruins, 

yet  it  hath  still  many  small  villages  and  castles. But  Haitoa 

the  Armenian  in  his  book  concerning  the  Tartars,  Chap.  xi. 
page  406.  (he  wrote  in  the  year  1300,)  saith  that  the  city  of  Ni- 
neveh, is  at  present  totally  in  ruins. Marsham  in  his  Chroni- 
cle of  the  XVHl  age,  observes,  page  558,  that  by  the  ruins  which 
are  still  to  be  seen,  one  may  be  fully  satisfied,  that  it  was  once 
one  of  the  greatest  cities  in  the  world.  Sec  this  in  Bochart's 
Phaleg,  Book  IV.  page  xx.  Col.  255. 

i  See  Thevenoi's  Travels,  Part  2.  Book  I.  Chap.  xi.  page  50. 
See  also  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  I.  year  612,  and 
39thofJosiah. 


i  go  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

that  "  Mosul  is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  river  Ti- 
gris; where  was  anciently  only  a  suburb  of  the  old  Nineveh, 
for  the  city  itself  stood  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  where 
are  to  be  seen  some  of  its  ruins  of  great  extent  even  to 
this  day.'*  Tavernier  likewise  affirms,  *  that  "  across  the 
Tigris,  which  hath  a  swift  stream  and  whitish  water, 
whereas  Euphrates  runs  slow  and  is  reddish,  you  come 
to  the  ancient  city  Nineveh,  which  is  now  an  heap  of 
rubbish  only,  for  a  league  along  the  river,  full  of  vaults 
antl  caverns."  Mr.  Salmon,  -j-  who  is  an  industrious  col- 
lector and  compiler  from  others,  saith  in  his  account  of 
Assyria,  "  In  this  country  the  famous  city  of  Nineveh 
once  stood,  on  the  eastern  bank  of  the  river  Tigris,  op- 
posite to  the  place  where  Mosul  now  stands There  is 

nothing  now  to  be  seen  but  heaps  of  rubbish,  almost  a 
league  along  the  river  Tigris,  over  against  Mosul,  which 
people  imagine  to  be  the  remains  of  this  vast  city."  But 
it  is  more  than  probable  that  these  ruins  are  the  remains 
of  the  Persian  Nineveh,  and  not  of  the  Assyrian.  ///S'^ 
periere  runa :  Even  the  ruins  of  old  Nineveh  have  been, 
as  I  may  say,  long  ago  ruined  and  destroyed:  such  an  ut- 
ter end  hath  been  made  of  it,  and  such  is  the  truth  of  the 
divine  predictions! 

This  perhaps  may  strike  us  the  more  strongly  by  sup- 
posing a  parallel  instance.  Let  us  then  suppose,  that  a 
person  should  come  in  the  name  of  a  prophet,  preaching 
repentance  to  the  people  of  this  kingdom,  or  otherwise 
denouncing  the  destruction  of  the  capital  city  within  a 
few  years; '  with  an  over-running  flood  will  God  make  an 
utter  end  of  the  place  thereof,  he  will  make  an  utter  end  ; 
its  place  may  be  sought,  but  it  shall  never  be  found.'  I 
presume  we  should  look  upon  such  a  prophet  as  a  mad- 
man, and  shew  no  farther  attention  to  his  message  than  to 
deride  and  despise  it ;  and  yet  such  an  event  would  not  be 
more  strange  and  incredible  than  the  destruction  and  de- 
vastation of  Nineveh.  For  Nineveh  was  much  the  larger, 
and  much  the  stronger,  and  older  city  of  the  two ;  and 
the  Assyrian  empire  had  subsisted  and  flourished  more 

*  See  Tavernier  in  Harris'  Collection,  Vol.  2.  Book  II.  Chap.iv. 
t  Sec  Salmon's  Modern  History,  Vol.  I  Chap.  xii.  See  present 
slritc  of  the  Turkish  Empire.    Quarto.  ,  - 


THE  PROfllECHiS.  181 

ages  than  any  form  of  government  in  this  country  ;  so  that 
you  cannot  object  the  instability  of  the  eastern  monar- 
chies in  this  case.  Let  us  then,  since  this  event  would 
not  be  more  improljable  and  extraordinary  than  the  other, 
suppose  again,  that  things  should  succeed  according  to 
the  prediction,  the  floods  should  arise,  and  the  enemy 
should  come,  the  city  sliould  be  overflown  and  broken 
down,  be  taken  and  pillaged,  and  destroyed  so  totally,  that 
even  the  learned  could  not  agree  about  the  place  where 
it  was  situated.  What  would  be  said  or  thought  in  such 
a  case?  Whoever  of  posterity  should  read  and  compare 
the  prophecy  and  event  together,  must  they  not  by  such 
an  illustrious  instance  be  thoroughly  convinced  of  the 
providence  of  God,  and  of  the  truth  of  this  prophet,  and 
be  ready  to  acknowledge, '  Verily  this  is  the  word  that 
the  Lord  hath  spoken,  verily  there  is  a  God  who  judge th 
the  earth  V 


X. 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  BABYLON. 

AFTER  Nineveh  was  destroyed,  Babylon  became  the 
queen  of  the  east.  They  were  both  equally  enemies  to 
the  people  of  God ;  the  one  subverted  the  kingdom  of  Is- 
rael, and  the  other  the  kingdom  of  Judah  ;  the  one  car- 
ried away  the  ten  tribes,  and  the  other  the  two  remaining 
tribes  into  captivity.  No  wonder  therefore  that  there  are, 
several  prophecies  relating  to  each  of  these  cities,  and 
that  the  fate  of  Babylon  is  foretold  as  well  as  of  Nineveh. 
As  Jeremiah  said,  1.  17,  18.  <  Israel  is  a  scattered  sheep, 
the  lions  have  driven  him  away  ;  first  the  king  of  Assyria 
hath  devoured  him,  and  last  this  Nebuchadnezzar  king 
of  Babylon  hath  broken  his  bones :  Therefore  thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  Israel,  Behold,  I  will  punish 
the  King  of  Babylon  and  his  land,  as  I  have  punished  the 
king  of  Assyria.' 

Babylon  was  a  very  great  and  a  very  ancient  city,  as 
well  as  Nineveh.    It  is  indeed  generally  reckoned  less 

VOL.   I.  Q 


1S2  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

than  Nineveh ;  for  according  to  Strabo  (who  was  cited  in 
the  last  discourse)  it  was  only  385  furlongs  in  compass,  or 
:i60  according  to  Diodorus  Siculus,  *  or  368  according  to 
Quintus  Curtius:  but  Herodotus,  f  who  was  an  older  an- 
thor  than  any  of  them,  represents  it  of  the  same  dimen- 
sions as  Nineveh,  that  is,  480  furlongs  or  above  60  miles 
in  compass;  but  the  difference  was,  that  Nineveh  was 
constructed  in  the  form  of  a  parallelogram,  and  Babylon 
was  an  exact  square,  each  side  being  120  furlongs  in 
length.  So  that  according  to  this  account  Babylon  con- 
tained more  ground  in  it  than  Nineveh  did  ;  for  by  the 
multiplying  the  sides  of  the  one  by  the  other,  it  will  be 
found,  that  Nineveh  contained  within  its  walls  only 
13,500  furlongs,  and  that  Babylon  contained  14,400.  It 
was  also  as  ancient,  or  more  ancient  than  Nineveh  ;  for 
in  the  words  of  Moses,  speaking  of  Nimrod,  Gen.  x.  10. 
it  was  Me  beginning  of  his  kingdom,  that  is,  the  first  city, 
or  the  capital  city  in  his  dominions.  Several  heathen 
authors  say  that  Semiramis,  but  most  (as  Quintus  Cur- 
tius \  asserts)  that  Belus  built  it :  and  Belus  was  very  pro- 
bably the  same  as  Nimrod.  But  whoever  was  the  first 
founder  of  this  city,  v/e  may  reasonably  suppose  that  it 
received  very  great  improvements  afterwards,  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar particularly,  repaired  .and  enlarged  and  beau- 
tified it  to  such  a  degree,  that  he  may  in  a  manner  be 
said  to  have  built  it ;  as  he  boasted  himself,  Dan.  iv.  30. 
*  Is  not  this  great  Babylon,  that  I  have  built  for  the  house 
of  the  kingdom,  by  the  might  of  my  power,  and  for  the 
honour  of  my  majesty  ?'  Nor  is  this  asserted  only  in 
scripture,  but  is  likewise  attested  by  heathen  authors,  Me- 
gasthenes,  Berosus,  and  Abydenus,  whose  words  are  quo- 

*  He  threw  about  the  city,  a  wall  of  three  hundred  and  sixty 
fiirlong-s.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  II.  pag-e  68,  in  Stephanus* 
edition,  and  page  95,  in  that  of  Hhodomaniis.  The  circumfer- 
ence of  the  wliole  work  measured  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
furlongs.     See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book  V.  Chap.  i. 

t  The  city  stood  in  a  plain  of  great  extent.  It  was  in  the 
form  of  a  square.  Each  of  its  sides  was  a  hundred  and  twenty 
furlongs,  so  that  the  measurement  of  all  its  sides  amounted  to 
four  hundred  and  elvjhly  furlongs.  See  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap, 
clxxviii.  pag^  74,  in  Gale's  edition. 

i  It  had  been  built  by  Semiramis,  or  in  the  opinion  of  many, 
by  Belus.    See  Quintus  Curtius  in  the  same  place. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  183 

ted  by  Josephiis  *  and  Eusebius.  By  one  means  or  other 
Babylon  becanne  so  great  and  famous  a  city  as  to  give 
name  to  a  very  large  empire  ;  and  it  is  called  in  scriptures, 
Dan.  iv.  50.  great  Babylon  ;  Isa.  xiii.  19.  the  glory  of  king- 
domsi  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldeca^  excelUncy ;  Isa  .xiv.  4,  the 
golden  city  ;  Isa.  xlvii.  5.  the  lady  of  kingdorns  ;  Jer.  U.  13. 
abundant  in  treasures  :  Jer.  li.  41.  the  /traise  of  the  whole 
earth  .•  and  its  beauty,  strength,  and  grandeur  ;  its  walls, 
temple,  palaces,  and  hanging  gardens  ;  the  banks  of  the 
river,  and  the  anificial  canals  and  lakes  made  for  the 
draining  of  that  river  in  the  seasons  of  its  overflowings, 
are  described  with  such  pomp  and  magnificence  by  hea- 
then authoj's,  that  it  might  deservedly  be  reputed  one  of 
the  wonders  of  the  world.  The  fullest  and  best  account 
of  these  things,  in  English,  is  to  be  found  in  the  second 
book  of  that  very  valuable  and  very  useful  work,  Dr.  Pri- 
deaux's  Connections.  Though  Babylon  was  seated  in  a 
low  watery  plain,  yet  in  scripture,  Jer.  li.  25.  it  is  called 
a  mountaiTi  on  account  of  the  great  heighth  of  its  walls 
and  towers,  its  palaces  and  temples :  and  Berosus  f  speak- 
ing of  some  of  its  buildings,  saith,  that  they  appeared 
most  hke  mountains.  Its  gates  of  brass  and  its  broad 
avail's  are  particularly  mentioned  in  scripture  :  Isa.  xiv. 
2.  Jer.  li.  58,  and  the  city  ^  had  an  hundred  gates,  25  on 
each  side,  all  made  of  solid  brass  :  and  its  walls  according 
to  Herodotus  §  were  350  feet  in  heighth,  and  87  in  thick- 
ness, and  six  chariots  could  go  abreast  upon  them,  as  Di- 
odorus  il  affirms  after  Ctesias. 

Such  a  city  as  this,  one  would  imagine  was  in  no  dan- 
ger of  being  totally  abandoned,  and  coming  to  nought. 
Such  a  chy  as  this,  might  surely  with  less  vanity  than 

*  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  xi.  Sect.  i.  page 
459,  in  Hudson's  edition.  See  also  Eusebius'  Evangelical  Pre- 
paration, Book  IX.  Cliap.  xli.  page  457,  in  Vi,^erus'  edition. 

f  To  which  he  gave  an  appearance,  very  much  resembling  that 
of  mountains.     See  Antiquities  in  the  same  place. 

ir  See  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap,  clxxix.  page  74,  in-Gale's  edi- 
tion. 

§  See  the  same  book  of  Herodotus,  Chap,  clxxvili.  See  also 
Prideaux'  Connections  in  the  same  place. 

II  So  that  the  breadth  of  the  wall  was  sufficient  for  passing  six 
chariots  abreast.  See  Dlodorus  Siculus,  Book  H.  page  68,  ia 
Steph.^iuus'  edition,  and  page  96,  in  that  of  Ithodomanus^ 


184  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

any  other,  boast  that  she  could  continue  for  ever.  So  she 
vainly  gloried,  Isa.  xlvii.  7,  8.  'I  shall  be  a  lady  for  ever ; 
I  am,  and  none  else  beside  me ;  I  shall  not  sit  as  a  wi- 
dow, neither  shall  I  know  the  loss  of  children/  But  the 
prophets  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  plainly  and  particularly 
foretold  the  destruction  of  this  city.  They  lived  during 
the  declension  of  the  kingdom  of  Judah  ;  and  as  they  pre- 
dicted the  captivity  of  the  Jews,  so  they  likewise  foretold 
the  downfal  of  their  enemies:  and  they  speak  with  such 
assurance  of  the  event,  that  they  describe  a  thing  future 
as  if  it  were  already  past,  Isa.  xxi.  9.  '  Babylon  is  fallen, 
is  fallen  ;  and  all  the  graven  images  of  her  gods  he  hath 
broken  to  the  ground,'  Jer.  li.  8.  *  Babylon  is  suddenly 
fallen  and  destroyed ;  howl  for  her,  take  balm  for  her  pain, 
if  so  be,  she  may  be  healed.'  It  is  somewhat  remarkable, 
that  one  of  Isaiah's  prophecies  concerning  Babylon  is  in- 
titled,  xxi.  1.  *  the  burden  of  the  desert  of  the  sea,  07' 
rather  the  plain  of  the  sea,'  for  Babylon  was  seated  in  a 
plain,  and  surrounded  by  water.  The  propriety  of  the 
expression  consists  in  this,  not  only  that  any  large  collec- 
tion of  waters  in  the  oriental  style  is  called  a  sea,  but 
also  that  the  places  about  Babylon  as  Abydenus  *  in- 
forms us  out  of  Megasthenes,  are  said  from  the  beginning 
to  have  been  overwhelmed  with  waters,  and  to  have  been 
called  the  sea. 

Cyrus,  who  was  the  conqueror  of  Babylon,  and  trans- 
ferred vhe  empire  from  the  Babylonians  to  the  Medes  and 
Persians,  was  particularly  foretold  by  name,  Isa.  xliv,  2  8. 
xlv.  1.  above  an  hundred  years  before  he  was  born.  He 
is  honoured  with  the  appealltion  of  the  Lord's  anointed, 
and  the  Lord  is  said  to  have  holdcn  his  right  hand.,  and  to 
have  girded  him:  Isa  xlv.  1,3.  and  he  was  raised  up  to 
be  an  instrument  of  providence  for  great  purposes,  and 
was  certainly  a  person  of  very  extraordinary  endowments, 
though  we  should  allow  that  Xenophon  had  a  little  ex- 
ceeded the  truth,  and  had  drawn  his  portrait  beyond  the 
reality.  It  was  promised  that  he  should  be  a  great  con- 
queror, should  <  subdue  nations  before  him/ Isa.  xlv.  1. 

*  It  is  reported  that  all  these  places  were  from  t])e  beginning- 
covered  with  water,  and  called  Sea.  See  Eusebius'  Evangelical 
Preparation,  Book  IX.  Chap.  xli.  page  457,  in  Yigerus'  edition. 


THE  rilOPIlKCIES.  1  85 

*and  I  will  loose  the  loins  of  kings  to  open  before  him 
the  two-leaved  gates,  and  the  gates  shall  not  be  shut  :* 
and  he  subdued  several  kings,  and  took  several  cities,  par- 
ticularly Sardes  and  Babylon,  and  extended  his  conquests* 
over  all  Asia,  from  the  river  Indus  to  the  ^Egean  sea.  It 
was  promised  that  he  should  find  great  spoil  and  treasure 
among  the  conquered  nations  ;  Isa.  xlv.  3.  '  I  will  give 
thee  the  treasures  of  darkness,  and  hidden  riches  of  secret 
places  :'  and  the  riches  which  Cyrus  found  in  his  con- 
quests amounted  to  a  prodigious  value  in  Pliny's  account  ;t 
nor  can  we  wonder  at  it,  for  those  parts  of  Asia  at  that 
time  abounded  in  wealth  and  luxury :  Babylon  had  been 
heaping  up  treasures  for  many  years  ;  and  the  riches  of 
Croesus  king  of  Lydia,  whom  Cyrus  conquered  and  took 
prisoner,  are  in  a  manner  become  proverbial. 

The  time  too  of  the  reduction  of  Babylon  was  marked 
out  by  the  prophet  Jeremiah,  xxv.  11,  12.  'These  na- 
tions (that  is,  the  Jews  and  the  neighbouring  nations) 
shall  serve  the  king  of  Babylon  seventy  years ;  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass  when  seventy  years  are  accomplished, 
that  I  will  punish  the  king  of  Babylon,  and  that  nation, 
saith  the  Lord.'  This  prophecy  was  delivered,  as  it  ap- 
pears from  the  first  verse  of  the  chapter,  'in  the  fourth 
year  of  Jehoiakini  the  son  of  Josiah  king  of  Judah,  that 
was  the  first  year  of  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon :' 
and  from  that  time  there  were  seventy  years  *  to  the  tak- 
ing of  Baby4on,  and  the  restoration  of  the  Jews.  Nebu- 
chadnezzar had  transplanted  the  Jews  to  Babylon  to  peo- 
ple and  strengthen  the  place,  and  their  removal  from 
Ihence  must  have  weakened  it  very  much ;  and  afler  that 
it  was  distressed  more  and  more,  till  at  last  it  was  brought 
to  nought. 

Several  circumstances  likewise  of  the  siege  and  taking 
of  Babylon  were  presignified  by  the  prophets.  It  was 
foretold,  that  God  would  stir  up  the  Medes  and  Persians 
against  it ;  'Go  up,  O  Elam,*  that  is,  Persia,  Isa.  xxi.  2. 
'  besiege,  O  Media  ;*  and,  Jer.  li.  11.  '  The  Lord  hath 

*  The  whole  of  Asia  from  India  to  the  .^gean  Sea.  See  Mar- 
sham's  Chronicle,  XVIIT  ag-e,  page  587. 

f  See  Pliny,  Book  XXXIII.  Chap.  xv.  In  Ilarduin's  edition. 
i  See  Prideaux  and  other  chronologers. 

q  2 


>8d  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

raised  up  the  spirit  of  the  kings  of  the  Medes,  for  his  de- 
vice is  against  Babylon  to  destroy  it  :*  And  accordingly 
it  was  besieged  by  the  united  forces  of  the  Medes  and 
Persians  under  the  command  of  Cyrus  the  Persian,  the 
nepliew  and  son-in-law  of  the  king  of  the  Medes.  The 
Medes  are  chiefly  spoken  of,  as  they  were  at  that  time  the 
superior  people.  The  Medes  is  too  a  general  name  for 
both  nations,  and  so  it  is  used  and  applied  by  several 
Greek  historians  as  well  as  by  the  sacred  writers.  Elam* 
was  an  old  name  for  Fersia^  for  the  name  of  Persia  doth 
not  appear  to  have  been  known  in  Isaiah's  time  ;  Ezekiel 
is  the  first  who  mentions  it.  And  Bochart  asserts,f  that 
the  Persians  were  first  so  named  from  their  becoming 
horsemen  in  the  time  of  Cyrus,  the  same  word  signifying 
both  a  Persian  and  a  horseman.  Or  if  by  Elam  we  un- 
derstand the  province  strictly  so  called,  it  is  no  less  true 
that  this  also,  though  subject  to  Babylon,  rose  up  against 

*  Elam  is  Persia,  and  is  frequently  mentioned  alonj^  with  Me- 
dia. The  name  of  the  Persians,  before  the  Babylonish  captivity, 
v/as  scarcely  known.  Ezekiel  Chap,  xxvii.  10,  and  xxxviii.  5,  is 
the  first  who  mentions  them  under  that  name,  and  ranks  them 
among-  warlike  nations,  when  the  deeds  of  Cyrus  were  yet  un- 
known. From  the  time  of  Cyrus,  who  was  a  Persian  by  birth. 
And  celebrated  for  his  victories,  the  glory  of  the  Persians  was 
widely  spread.  See  Marsham's  Chronicle,  XVIII  age,  page 
564. 

■j-  But  the  Persians  derived  their  name  from  their  cavalry,  in 
which  they  were  powerful.  In  horsemanship  they  were  instructed 
from  their  earliest  years.  Cyrus  was  the  first  that  introduced 
this  kind  of  discipline  among  them. — ^^From  a  change  so  suddenly 
brought  in  amongst  them,  it  came  to  pass,  that  their  country 
was  called  Paras,  and  themselves  Persians,  that  is,  horsemen. 
In  the  Arabic  language,  Pharas  signifies  a  horse,  and  Pharis  an 
horseman,  as  Pharash  doth  in  Hebrew.  The  same  word  Pharis 
is  made  use  of  by  them,  to  denote  Persia.  This  is  the  reason 
that  neither  INIoses,  nor  the  author  of  the  books  of  Kings,  nor 
Isaiah,  nor  Jeremiah,  nor  in  short  any  one  that  lived  before  the 
time  of  Cyrus,  make  mention  of  that  people  under  this  name. 
But  the  name  of  Persians  frequently  occurs  in  the  books  of 
Daniel  and  Ezekiel,  who  were  contemporaries  with  Cyrus,  and 
in  the  books  of  Chronicles,  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther,  &c.  which 
were  written  after  the  time  of  Cyrus.  Before  his  time,  it  is  pro- 
bable that  the  Hebrew  names  Chut  and  Gnelam,  or  Elam,  took 
in  a  large  portion  of  Persia.  See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  Book  IV. 
Chap.  X.  Col.  224. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  1^7 

it,  and  upon  the  following  occasion.  Abradates  *  was 
vicei'oy  or  i2;overnor  of  Susa  or  Shushan,  and  SInishan 
was  tlie  capital  of  the  province  of  Elum,  Dan.  viii.  2.  His 
wife  Panthea,  a  lady  of  e:<quisite  beauty,  happened  to  be 
taken  prisoner  by  the  Persians.  Cyrus  treated  her  with 
such  generosity,  and  preserved  her  with  such  strict  hon- 
our, safe  and  inviolate  for  her  husband,  as  won  the  heart 
of  the  prince,  so  that  he  and  his  forces  revolted  to  Cyrus, 
and  fought  in  his  army  against  the  Babylonians. 

It  was  foretold,  that  various  nations  should  unite  against 
Babylon;  Isa.  xiii.  4.  'The  noise  of  a  multitude  in  the 
mountains,  like  as  of  a  great  people  ;  a  tumultuous  noise 
of  the  kingdoms  of  nations  gathered  together ;  the  Lord 
of  hosts  mustereth  the  host  of  the  battle  :'  and  particularly 
it  was  foretold,  that '  the  kingdoms  of  Ararat,  Minvi  and 
Ashchenaz^  that  is,  the  Armenians,!  Phrygians,  and  other 
nations  should  compose  part  of  his  army  ;  Jer.  li.  27. 
*  Set  ye  up  a  standard  in  the  land,  blow  the  trumpet  among 
the  nations,  prepare  the  nations  against  her,  call  together 
against  her,  the  kingdoms  of  Ararat,  Minni,  and  Ashche- 
naz  :'  And  accordingly,  Cyrus'  army  consisted  of  various 
nations  ;  and  among  them  were  these  very  people,*  whom 
he  had  conquered  before,  now  obliged  to  attend  him  in 
this  expedition. 

It  was  foretold,  that  the  Babylonians  should  be  terrified, 
and  hide  themselves  within  their  walls  ;  Jer.  li.  30.  '  the 
mighty  men  of  Babylon,  haveforeborn  to  fight,  they  have 
remained  in  their  holds,  their  might  hath  failed,  they  be- 
came as  women  :  And  accordingly  the  Babylonians,  after 
the  loss  of  a  battle  or  two,  never  recovered  their  courage 
to  face  the  enemy  in  the  field  again  ;  they  retired  within 
their  walls,  and  the  first  time§  that  Cyrus  came  with  his 
army  before  the  place,  he  could  not  provoke  them  to  ven- 
ture forth  and  try  the  fortune  of  arms,  even  though  he 
sent  a  challenge  to  the  king  to  fight  a  duel  with  him ;  and 

*  See  Xenophon'sCvropaedia,  Book  IV,  V,  VI,  and  VII. 

t  See  Bochart's  Plialeg,  Book  I.  Chap.  3,  Col.  16,  and  20,  and 
Book  HI.  Chap.  ix.  Col.  174. 

+  See  Xenophon's  Cyropxdia,  Book  V.  page  77.  Book  VII. 
page  111,  in  Henry  Stephen's  edition  of  1581. 

§  See  Xenophon's  Cyropsdia,  Book  V.  page  75^  in  Henry  Ste- 
phen's edition  of  1581. 


138  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

the  last  time*  that  he  came,  he  consulted  with  his  officers 
about  the  best  method  of  carryinvj  on  the  siege,  "  since 
saith  he,  they  do  not  come  forth  and  fight." 

It  '.vas  foretold,  that  the  river  shoukl  be  dried  up,  before 
the  city  should  be  taken  ;  which  was  very  unlikely  ever 
to  happen,t  the  river  beinir  more  than  two  furlongs  broad, 
and  deeper  than  two  men  standin£^  one  upon  another,  so 
that  the  city  was  thought  to  be  better  and  stronger  forti- 
fied by  the  river  than  by  the  walls  ;  but  yet  the  prophets 
predicted  that  the  waters  shonkl  be  dried  up  ;  Isai.  xlv. 
27.  '  That  saith  to  the  deep  and  dry,  and  1  will  dry  up  thy 
rivers?*  Jer.  1.  38.  'A  drought  is  upon  her  waters,  and 
they  shall  be  dried  up  ;'  Jer.  li.  36.  *  I  will  dry  up  her 
sea,  and  make  her  springs  dry  :  And  accordingly  Cyrus ^f: 
turned  the  course  of  the  river  Euphrates  which  ran 
through  the  midst  cf  Babylon,  and  by  means  of  deep 
trenches  and  the  canals  and  lakes  before  mentioned,  so 
drained  the  waters,  that  the  river  became  easily  fordable 
for  his  soldiers  to  enter  the  city  ;  and  by  these  means 
Babylon  was  taken,  which  was  otherwise  impregnable, 
and  was  supplied  with  provisions  for  very  many  years, 
saith  Herodotus,§  for  more  than  twenty  years,  saitbXeno- 
phon ;  or,  as  Herodotus  saith,||  if  the  Babylonians  had 

*  See  the  same,  Book  VTI.  *  Since  they  do  not  go  out  of  their 
walls  to  fig'ht,'  pag-e  112. 

-j-  See  Xenoplion's  Cyropsedia.  Book  VII.  *  The  width  of  tlie 
river  is  more  than  two  furloiij^cs,  and  its  depth  such,  that  two 
men  standiiig  the  one  on  the  other,  the  uppermost  would  not 
appear  above  the  water.  And  therefore  the  river  afforded  a  bet- 
ter defence  to  the  city  than  its  walls.' 

+  See  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cxci.  page  79,  in  Gale's  edi- 
tion. *  They  had  amassed  stores  of  provisions  (which  might 
serve  them)  for  many  yeai'S.'  See  Xenophon's  Cyropsedia,  Book 
VII.  page  113,  in  Stephen's  edition.  *  They  had  necessaries  for 
more  than  twenty  j-ears.* 

§  *  Whom,  if  the  Babylonians  had  heard  or  perceived  before- 
hand what  had  been  done  by  Cyrus,  they  would  not  have  suffer- 
ed him  to  enter  (the  city,)  but  would  have  put  them  to  the  most 
dreadful  destruction.  For  by  shutting  all  the  sally  ports  that 
ltd  to  the  river,  and  by  mounting  the  rampart,  and  standing  on 
the  banks,  they  would  have  caught  as  in  a  trap,  his  soldiers  as 
they  came  forward.' 

II  See  Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cxci.  page  79,  in  Gale's  edi- 
tion. See  also  Xenophon's  Cyropccdia,  Book  VII.  page  113,  in 
Stephen's  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  I39 

but  known  what  the  Persians  were  doing,  by  shutting  the 
gates  which  opened  to  the  river,  and  by  standing  upon 
the  walls  which  were  built  as  banks,  they  might  have 
taken  and  destroyed  the  Persians  as  in  a  net  or  cage. 

It  was  foretold,  that  the  city  should  be  taken  by  surprise, 
during  the  time  of  a  feast ;  Jcr.  1.  24.  '  I  have  laid  a  snare 
for  thee,  and  thou  art  also  taken,  O  Babylon,  and  thou 
wast  not  aware,  thou  art  found  and  also  caught,'  li.  39. 
*  In  their  heat,  I  will  make  their  feasts,  and  I  will  make 
them  drunken,  that  they  may  rejoice,  and  sleep  a  perpe- 
tual sleep,  and  not  wake,  saith  the  Lord,  li.  57.  «  And  I 
will  make  drunk  her  princes,  and  her  wise  men,  her  cap- 
tains, and  her  rulers,  and  her  mighty  men,  and  they  shall 
sleep  a  perpetual  sleep,  and  not  wake,  saith  the  king, 
whose  name  is  the  Lord  of  hosts :'  And  accordingly  the 
city  was  taken,  in  the  night  of  a  great  annual  festival, 
while  the  inhabitants  were  dancing,  drinking,  and  revel- 
ling; and  as  Aristotle  reports,*  it  had  been  taken  three 
days,  before  some  part  of  the  city  perceived  it ;  but  He- 
rodotus'f  account  is  more  modest  and  probable,  that  the 
extreme  parts  of  the  city  were  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
before  they  who  dwelt  in  the  middle  of  it  knew  any  thing 
of  their  danger.  These  were  extraordinary  occurrences 
in  the  taking  of  this  city  :  and,  hov/  could  any  man  fore- 
see and  foretel  such  singular  events,  such  remarkable 
circumstances,  without  revelation  and  inspiration  of  God? 

But  these  events  you  may  possibly  thii}k  too  remote 
in  time  to  be  urged  in  the  present  argument :  and  yet 
the  prophecies  were  delivered  by  Isaiah,  and  Jeremiah, 
and  the  facts  are  related  by  no  less  historians,  than  Hero- 
dotus and  Xenophon  ;  and  Isaiah  lived  above  250  years 
before  Herodotus,  and  near  350  before  Xenophon,  and 
Jeremiah  lived  about  150  years  before  the  one  and  near 
250  before  the  other.     Cyrus  took  Babylon,  according  to 

*  See  Aristotle's  Politics,  Book  ITT.  Cliap.  iii.  'which  having 
been  taken  three  days,  they  tell  us,  that  this  was  not  known  by 
a  certain  portion  of  the  city.' 

f  And  by  reason  of  the  greatness  of  the  city,  as  is  related  by 
some  of  its  ir.habitants,  when  tlie  extremities  of  Babylon  were  in 
the  possession  of  the  enemy,  they  who  lived  in  the  midst  of  it 
were  unacquainted  with  v/Iiat  had  happened.  See  Herodotus  in 
the  same  place. 


190  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Prideaux,  in  the  year  539  before  Christ.  Isaiah  prophe- 
cied  <  in  the  days  of  Uzziah,  Jotham,  Ahaz,  and  Hezekiah, 
kings  of  Judah,'  Isa.  i.  1.  which  was  at  least  160  years  be- 
fore the  taking  of  Babylon,  for  Hezekiah  died  in  the  year 
699  before  Christ.  Jeremiah  sent  his  prophecies  con- 
cerning Babylon,  to  Babylon,  by  the  hands  of  Seraiah  '  in 
the  fourth  year  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,'  Jer.  li.  59. 
which  was  56  years  before  the  taking  of  Babylon,  for  the 
fourth  year  of  Zedekiah  coincides  with  the  year  595  be- 
foi'e  Christ.  There  is  therefore  no  room  for  scepticism  : 
but  if  you  are  still  disposed  to  doubt  and  hesitate,  what 
then  think  you  of  the  present  condition  of  the  place  ? — 
Could  the  prophets,  unless  they  were  prophets  indeed, 
have  foreseen  and  foretold  what  that  would  be  so  many 
ages  afterwards  ?  And  yet  they  have  expressly  foretold 
that  it  should  be  reduced  to  desolation.  Isaiah  is  very 
strong  and  poetical:  xiii  19,  &c.  '  Babylon,  the  glory 
of  kingdoms,  the  beauty  of  the  Chaldees'  excellency,  shall 
be  as  when  God  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah : 
It  shall  never  be  inhabited,  neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from 
generation  to  generation  ;  neither  shall  the  Arabian  pitch 
tent  there,  neither  shall  the  shepherds  make  their  fold 
there  :  But  wild  beasts  of  the  deserts  shall  lie  there,  and 
their  houses  shall  be  full  of  doleful  creatures,  and  owls 
shall  dwell  there,  and  satyrs  shall  dance  there  :  And  the 
wild  beasts  of  the  island  shall  cry  in  their  desolate  houses, 
and  dragons  in  their  pleasant  palaces:  and  her  time  is 
near  to  come,  and  her  days  shall  not  be  prolonged.' — 
Again,  xiv.  22,  23.  I  will  rise  up  against  them,saith  the 
Lord  of  hosts,  and  cut  off  from  Babylon  the  name,  and 
remnant,  and  son,  and  nephew  (or  rather,  son,  and  grand- 
son,) saith  the  Lord  ;  I  will  also  make  it  a  possession  for 
the  bittern,  and  pools  of  water  ;  and  I  will  sweep  it  with 
the  besom  of  destruction,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  Jere- 
miah speakelh  much  in  tlie  same  strain  :  1.  13,  23,  39,  40. 
•  Because  of  the  wrath  of  the  Lord,  it  shall  not  be  inliabit- 
ed,  but  it  shall  be  wholly  desolate ;  every  one  that  goeth 
by  Babylon  shall  be  astonished,  and  hiss  at  all  her  plagues  : 
How  is  the  ham.mer  of  the  whole  earth,  cut  asunder  and 
broken  ?  How  is  Babylon  became  a  desolation  among 
the  nations?  Therefore  the  wild  beasts  of  the  desert,  with 
the  wild  beasts  of  the  islands  shall  dwell  there,  and  the 


THE  PROPHECIES.  191 

©wis  shall  dwell  therein  ;  and  it  shall  be  no  more  inhabit- 
ed forever  ;  neither  shall  it  be  dwelt  in  from  generation 
to  generation  :  As  God  overthrew  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
and  the  neighbour  cities  thereof,  saith  the  Lord;  so  no 
man  shall  abide  there,  neither  shall  any  son  of  man  dwell 
therein.'  Again,  li.  13,  26,  29,  Z7,  42,  43.  'O  thou 
that  dwellest  upon  many  waters,  abundant  in  treasures  ; 
thine  end  is  come,  and  the  measure  of  thy  covetousness  : 
And  they  shall  not  take  of  thee  a  stone  for  a  corner,  nor 
a  stone  for  foundations ;  but  thou  shalt  be  desolate  for 
ever,  saith  the  Lord  :  And  the  land  shall  tremble  and  sor- 
row, for  every  purpose  of  the  Lord  shall  be  performed 
against  Babylon,  to  make  the  land  of  Babylon  a  desolation, 
without  an  inhabitant:  And  Babylon  shall  become  heaps, 
a  dwelling  place  for  dragons,  an  astonishment,  and  an  his- 
sing, without  an  inhabitant :  The  sea  is  come  up  upon 
Babylon  ;  she  is  covered  with  the  multitude  of  the  waves 
thereof:  Her  cities  are  a  desolation,  a  dry  land,  and  a 
wilderness,  a  land  wherein  no  man  dwelleth,  neither  doth 
any  son  of  man  pass  thereby.'  We  shall  see  how  these 
and  other  prophecies  have  by  degrees  been  accomplished, 
for  in  the  nature  of  the  things  they  could  not  be  fulfilled 
all  at  once.  But  as  the  prophets  often  speak  of  things 
future,  as  if  they  were  already  effected  ;  so  they  speak 
often  of  things  to  be  brought  about,  in  process  of  time,  as 
if  they  were  to  succeed  immediately  ;  past,  present,  and  to 
come,  being  all  alike  known  to  an  infinite  mind,  and  the 
intermediate  time  not  revealed  perhaps  to  the  minds  of 
the  prophets. 

Isaiah  addresseth  Babylon  by  the  name  of  a  virgin^  as 
having  never  before  been  taken  by  any  enemy  :  Isa.  xlvii. 
1 .  '  Come  down,  and  sit  in  the  dust,  O  virgin  daughter  of 
Babylon,  sit  on  the  ground :'  and  Herodotus  *  saith  ex- 
pressly, that  this  was  the  first  time  that  Babylon  was  ta- 
ken. After  this  it  never  more  recovered  its  ancient  splen- 
dor ;  from  an  imperial,  it  became  a  mbutary  city  ;  from 
being  governed  by  its  own  kings,  and  governing  strang- 
ers, it  came  itself  to  be  governed  by  strangers ;  and  the 
seat  of  empire,  being  transferred  to  Shushan,  it  decayed 

*  *  And  thus  indeed  Babylon  was  taken  for  the  first  time.*  See 
Herodotus,  Book  I.  Chap.  cxci.  page  79,  in  Gale's  edition. 


192  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

by  degrees,  tiil  it  was  reduced  at  last  to  utter  desolation, 
Berosus  in  Josephiis  *  saith,  that  when  Cyrus  had  taken 
Babylon,  he  ordered  the  outer  walls  to  be  pulled  down, 
because  the  city  appeared  to  him  to  be  very  factious  and 
difficult  to  betaken.  And  Xenophon  f  informs  us,  that 
Cyrus  obliged  the  Babylonians  to  deliver  up  all  their  arms 
upon  pain  of  death,  distributed  their  best  houses  among 
his  officers,  imposed  a  tribute  upon  them,  appointed  a 
strong  garrison,  and  compelled  the  Babylonians  to  defray 
the  charge,  being  desiious  to  keep  them  poor,  as  the  best 
means  of  keeping  them  obedient. 

But  notwithstanding  these. precautions,  i  they  rebelled 
against  Darius,  and  in  order  to  hold  out  to  the  last  extre- 
mity, they  took  all  their  women,  and  each  man  choosing 
one  of  them,  out  of  those  of  his  own  family,  whom  he  lik- 
ed best,  they  strangled  the  rest,  that  unnecessary  mouths 
might  not  consume  their  provisions.  "And  hereby,"  saith 
Dr.  Prideaux,§  "  was  very  signally  fulfilled  the  prophecy 
of  Isaiah  against  them,  in  which  he  foretold.  Chap,  xlvii.  9. 
That  tivo  thijigs  should  come  to  them  in  a  moment^  in  one 
day^  the  loss  of  children  and  rddowhood^  and  that  these 
shall  come  ufion  them  in  their  perfection^  for  the  multitude 
of  their  sorceries^  and  the  great  abuyidance  of  their  Inchant' 
ments.  And  in  what  greater  perfection  could  these  cala- 
mities come  upon  them,  than  when  they  themselves,  thus 
upon  themselves,  became  the  executioners  of  them  ?"  Or 
rather,  this  prophecy  was  then  fulfilled  a  second  time, 
having  been  fulfilled  before,  the  very  night  that  Babylon 
was  taken,  when  the  Persians  slew  the  king  Jiimself  and 
a  ^reat  number  of  the  Babylonians.  They  sustained  the 
siege,  and  all  the  efforts  of  Darius  for  twenty  months,  and 
at  length  the  city  was  taken  by  stratagem.     As  soon  as 

*  *  But  Cyrus  having  taken  Babylon,  gave  orders  to  destroy 
the  outer  walls,  both  because  he  saw  that  the  city  was  factious^ 
and  difficult  to  be  taken.'  See  Josephus  against  Apion,  Book  I. 
Sect,  22.  page  1344,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

f  See  Xenophon's  Cyropaedia,  Book  VII.  page  114  and  117,  in 
Stephanus'  edition. 

+  See  Herodotus,  Book  III.  Chap.  clvi.  page  220,  in  Gale's  edi- 
tion. 

§  See  Prideaiix'  Connections,  Part  \.  Book  Ml.  year  517,  and 
5  of  Darius. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  I9j 

Darius  had  made  himself  master  of  the  place,  he  ordered 
three  thousand  of  the  principal  men  to  be  crucified,  and 
thereby  fulfilled  the  prophecies  of  the  cruelty,  which  the 
Medes  and  Persians  should  use  towards  the  Babylonians  ; 
Isa.  xiii.  17,  IS.  Jer.  1.  42.  and  he  likewise  demolished 
the  wall,  and  took  away  the  gates,  neither  of  which,  saith 
Herodotus,*  had  Cyrus  done  before.  But  either  Herodo- 
tus or  Berosus  must  have  been  mistaken ;  or  we  must 
suppose  that  Cyrus'  orders  were  never  carried  into  exe- 
cution ;  or  we  must  understand  Herodotus  to  speak  of 
the  inner  wall,  as  Berosus  spoke  of  the  outer  :  and  yet  it 
doth  not  seem  very  credible,  when  the  walls  were  of  that 
prodigious  heighth  and  thickness,  that  there  should  be 
an  inner  and  an  outer  wall  too ;  and  much  less  that  there 
should  be  three  inner  and  three  outer  walls,  as  Berosus  f 
affirms.  Herodotus  :*:  computes  the  heighth  of  the  wall 
to  be  200  cubits  ;  but  latter  authors  reckon  it  much  low- 
er,§  Quintus  Curtius  at  100,  Strabo "  who  is  a  more  ex- 
act writer,  at  50  cubits.  Herodotus  describes  it  as  it  was 
originally  ;  and  we  may  conclude  therefore  that  Darius 
reduced  it  from  200  to  50  cubits ;  and  by  thus  taking 
down  the  wall  and  destroying  the  ^ates,  he  remarkably 
fulfilled  the  prophecy  of  Jeremiah,  li.  58.  '  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  of  Hosts,  the  broad  walls  of  Babylon  shall  be  ut- 
terly broken,  and  her  high  gates  shall  be  burnt  with  fire.' 
Xerxes  IF  after  his  return  from  his  unfortunate  expedi- 
tion into  Greece,  partly  out  of  religious  zeal;  being  a  pro- 

*  He  took  away  the  wall,  and  removed  all  the  g'ates,  none  of 
which  had  been  clone  when  first  it  was  taken  by  Cyrus.'  See 
Herodotus,  Book  HI.  Chap.  clix.  page  223,  in  Gale's  edition. 

f  *  He  surrounded  the  city  by  three  walls  within,  and  in  like 
manner  wiih  tliree  walls  without.'  See  Josephus  against  Apion, 
Book  I    Sect.  19,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

i  '  The  heighth  was  of  two  hundred  cubits.'  See  Herodotus, ' 
Book  I.  Chap,  clxxviii.  page  74,  in  Gale's  edition. 

§  'The  heighth  of  the  wall  was  more  than  a  hundred  cubits.' 
See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book  V.  Chap.  i. 

11  'The  heighth  of  the  wail  between  the  tower.";,  was  fifty  cu- 
bits.' See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  page  738,  in  the  I'aris  edition; 
and  page  1072,  in  that  of  Amsterdam,  printed  in  1707. 

%  See  Herodotus,  Book  I  Chap  clxxxiii.  page  76,  in  Gale's 
edition.  See  Arrian's  expedition  of  Alexander,  Book  VH.  Chap, 
xvil.  page  296,  in  Gronovius'  edition.    See  Usher's  AnnalS;  year 

VOL.  I.  II 


194  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

fessed  enemy  to  image  worship,  and  partly  to  reimburse 
liimself  after  his  immense  expenses,  seized  the  sacred 
treasures,  and  plundered  or  destroyed  the  temples  and 
idols  of  Babylon,  thereby  accomplishing'  the  prophecies 
of  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  ;  Isa.  xxi.  9.  '  Babylon  is  fallen, 
is  fallen;  and  all  the  graven  images  of  her  gods  he  hath 
broken  unto  the  ground  :'  Isa.  xlvi.  1.  '  Bel  boweth  down, 
Nebo  stoopeth,  their  idols  were  upon  the  beasts,  and  up- 
on the  cattle,'  Sec.  Jer.  1.  2.  *  Babylon  is  taken,  Bel  is 
confounded,  Merodach  is  broken  in  pieces,  her  idols  are 
confounded,  her  images  are  broken  in  pieces:'  Jer.  li. 
44,  47,  52.  '  And  I  will  punish  Bel  in  Babylon,  and 
I  will  bring  forth  out  of  his  mouth  that  which  he  hath 
swallowed  up ;  Therefore  behold  the  days  come,  saith 
the  Lord,  that  I  will  do  judgment  upon  the  graven  im- 
ages of  Babylon;'  and  again,  'Wherefore,  behold  the 
days  come,  saith  the  Lord,  that  I  will  do  judgment  up- 
on her  graven  images.'  What  God  declares, '  I  will  pun- 
ish Bel  in  Babylon,  and  I  will  bring  forth  that  which  he 
hath  swallowed,'  was  also  literally  fulfilled,  when  the  ves- 
sels of  the  house  of  God,  which  Nebuchadnezzar  had 
brought  from  Jerusalem,  and  placed  in  the  temple  of  Bel, 
Dan.  i.  2.  were  restored  by  order  of  Cyrus,  Ezra  i.  7. 
and  carried  to  Jerusalem  again. 

Such  was  the  state  of  Babylon  under  the  Persians, 
when  Alexander  came  thither,  though  Quintus  Curtius  * 
says,  that  the  whole  circuit  of  the  city  was  368  furlongs, 
yet  he  affirms,  that  only  for  the  space  of  90  furlongs  it 
was  inhabited.  The  river  Euphrates  having  heen  turned 
out  of  its  course  by  Cyrus,  and  never  afterwards  restored 
to  its  former  channel,  all  that  side  of  the  country  was 
flooded  by  it.  Alexander  indeedf  purposed  to  have  made 

of  the  world  3526,  page  129.  See  Prideaux' Connections,  Oart 
I.  Book  IV.  year  479,  and  7  of  Xerxes. 

*  Quintus  Curtius,  liook  V.  Chap,  i,  saith,  *  that  all  the  space 
within  the  walls  was  not  occupied  by  buildings.  Only  the  space 
of  ninety  furlongs  was  inhabited,  and  even  in  this  space,  the 
houses  were  not  close  to  one  another.' 

f  See  Arrian's  expedition  of  Alexander,  Book  VII.  Chap.  xvii. 
page  296,  and  Chap.  xxi.  page  303,  in  Gronovius'  edition.  See 
iiecatxus  in  Josephus  against  Apion,  Book  I.  Sect.  22  page 
1348,  in  Hudson's  edition  See  also  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  page 
?'38,  in  tlie  Paris  edition,  and  page  1073,  in  that  of  Amsterdam, 
printed  in  1707. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  19 J 

Babylon  the  seat  of  his  empire,  and  actually  set  men  at 
work  to  rebuild  the  temple  of  Jielus,  and  to  repair  the 
banks  of  the  river,  and  to  bring-  back  the  waters  again  in- 
to their  old  channel :  and  if  his  designs  had  taken  effect, 
how  could  the  prophecies  have  been  fulfilled  ?  and  what 
providence  therefore  was  it,  that  his  designs  did  not  take 
effect,  and  that  the  breaches  were  never  repaired  ?  He 
met  with  some  difficulties  in  the  work,  and  death  soon 
after  put  an  end  to  this,  and  all  his  other  projects;  and 
none  of  his  successors  ever  attempted  it :  and  Seleucia  * 
being  built  a  few  years  afterwards  in  the  neighbourhood, 
Babylon  in  a  little  time  became  wholly  desolate.  Seleucia 
not  only  robbed  it  of  its  inhabitants,  but  even  of  its  name, 
being  called  also  Habylonf  by  several  authors.  We  learn 
farther  from  a  fragment  of  DiodorusSiculus,  which  is  pro- 
duced by  Valesius,  and  quoted  from  him  by  Vitringa,|  that 
a  king  of  Parthia,  or  one  of  his  peers,  surpassing  all  the 
famous  tyrants  in  cruelty,  omitted  no  sort  of  punishment, 
but  sent  many  of  the  Babylonians,  and  for  trifling  causes, 
into  slavery,  and  burnt  the  Forum  and  some  of  the  tem- 
ples of  Babylon,  and  demolished  the  best  parts  of  the 
city.  This  happened  about  130  years  before  Christ:  and 
now  let  us  see  what  account  is  given  of  Babylon  by  au- 
thors after  that  time. 

Diodorus  Siculus  §  describes  the  buildings  as  ruined  or 

*  See  Strabo  in  the  same  place.  And  also  Pliny's  Natural  His- 
tory, Book  yi.  Chap.  xxx.  in  Harduin*s  edition. 

J  See  the  same  place  of  Pliny;  *  which  nevertheless  is  called 
Babylon.*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  Vlll.  year 
'29'o,  and  12  of  Ptolemy  Soter. 

t  Vitring-a  in  his  Commentary  on  Isaiah,  Chap.  xiii.  page  421. 
Vol.  1.  expressed  himself  thus.  "Euemerus  the  king-  of  the  Par- 
thians,  (Valesius  from  comparhig  some  passages  of  Justin  and 
Athnxus,  and  from  the  time  in  which  he  lived,  hath  clearly 
shewn,  that  his  name  ought  to  be  read  Iliudrus)  a  native  of 
llyrcania,  going  beyond  every  tyrant  in  ]-igour,  was  inattentive 
to  no  sort  of  cruelty.  For  lie  sent  into  .Media,  and  distributed 
in  every  family  of  that  country,  vast  multitudes  of  Babylonians, 
doomed  to  slavery.  He  also  set  on  fire  the  forum,  and  some  of 
the  temples  at  Babylon,  and  destroyed  all  the  finest  places  of  tlie 
city.  This  calamity  happened  during  the  reign  of  the  descend- 
ents  of  Seleucus,  about  130  years  before  the  birth  of  our  Lord." 

§  '  Time  in  some  cases,  hath  altogether  destroytd,  and  in 
otluers  defaced  the  royal  palaces  and  otlier  stately  edifices.    Por 


196  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

decayed  in  his  time,  and  asserts,  that  now  only  a  small 
part  of  the  city  is  inhabited,  the  greatest  part  within  the 
walls  is  tilled.  Strabo  *  who  wrote  not  long  after  Diodo- 
riis,  saith  that  part  of  the  city  the  Persians  demolished, 
and  part,  time  and  the  neglect  of  the  Macedonians,  and 
especially  after  Seleucus  Nicator  had  built  Seleucia  on 
the  Tigris,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Babylon,  and  he  and 
his  successors  removed  their  court  thither :  and  now 
(saith  he,)  Seleucia  is  greater  than  Ba1)ylon,  and  Babylon 
is  much  deserted,  so  that  anyone  may  apply  to  this,  what 
the  comic  poet  said  of  Megalopolis  in  Arcadia,  The  great 
city  is  now  become  a  in-eat  desert.  Pliny  in  like  manner 
affirms,!  that  it  was  reduced  to  solitude,  being  exhausted 
by  the  neighbourhood  of  Seleucia,  built  for  that  purpose 
by  Seleucus  Nicator.  As  Strabo  compared  Babylon  to 
Megalopolis,  so  Pausanius|  (who  flourished  about  the 
middle  of  the  second  century  after  Christ)  compares 
Megalopolis  to  Babylon,  and  says  in  his  Arcadics,  that  of 
Babylon,  the  greatest  city  that  the  sun  ever  saw,  there  is 

at  present,  only  a  certain  small  portion  of  Babjylon  is  Inhabited, 
the  far  greater  part  within  the  walls  is  under  tillage.'  See  Dio- 
dorus  Siculus,  Book  II.  page  70,  in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page 
1)8,  in  that  of  Ilhodomanus. 

*  '  The  Persians  destroyed  a  part  of  the  city.  A  part  has 
been  consumed  by  time,  and  the  neglect  of  the  Macedonians. 
But  the  chief  cause  of  its  decay,  has  been  the  building  of  Sck  ucia, 
on  the  banks  of  the  Tigris,  by  Seleucus  Nicator.  at  the  distance 
only  of  three  hundred  furlongs  from  Babylon.  For  both  he,  and 
all  his  descendants,  have  laboured  to  the  utmost,  to^aggrandize 
it  (Seleucia),  and  have  removed  the  court  thither.  At  pre- 
sent, it  is  greater  than  Babylon,  so  that  one  may  boldly  say, 
that  concerning  it,  which  was  said  by  a  certain  comedy  writer, 
concerning  Megalopolis,  a  large  city  of  Arcadia,  Megalopolis  is 
now  a  vast  desert.'  See  Strabo,  Book  XVT.  page  738,  in  the  Pa- 
ris edition,  and  page  1073,  in  that  of  Amsterdam,  printed  in 
1707. 

f  'Surely  it  hath  returned  to  a  desolate  and  forsaken  place,  on 
account  of  its  vicinity  to  Seleucia,  a  city  built  for  tliat  very  pur- 
pose by  Nicator.'  See  Pliny's  Natural  iJistory,  Book  VI.  Chap. 
XXX.  in  llarduin's  edition.     , 

+  *  Babylon,  the  greatest  of  all  these  cities,  which  ever  the 
sun  shone  upon,  has  now  nothing  remaining  besides  its  walls.* 
See  Pausanias,  Book  111.  Chap,  xxxiii. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  197 

nothing  now  remaining,  but  the  walls.  Maxinms  Tyrius  * 
mentions  it,  as  lying  neglected  and  forsaken  ;  and  Lucian  \ 
intimates,  that  in  a  little  time  it  ^You■.d  be  sou,:^ht  for,  and 
not  be  found,  like  Nineveh.  C.'onstantine  the  Great,  m 
an' oration  preserved  by  Eusebias,  saith,  that  he  himself 
was  upon  the  spot,  and  an  eye-witness  of  the  desolate  and 
miserable  condition  of  the  city.  In  Jerome's  time  (who 
lived  in  the  fourth  century  after  Christ,;  it  was  converted 
into  a  chase,  to  keep  wild  beasts  within  the  compass  of 
its  walls,  for  the  hunting  of  the  later  kings  of  Persia.  We 
have  learned,:};  saith  he,  from  a  certain  Elamite  brother, 
who  coming  out  of  those  parts,  now  liveth  as  a  monk  at 
Jerusalem,  that  the  royal  huntings  are  in  Babylon,  and 
wild  beasts  of  every  kind  aie  confined  within  the  circuit 
of  its  walls.  And  a  little  afterwards  he  saith,  §  that  ex- 
cepting the  brick,  walls,  which  after  many  years  are  re- 
paired for  the  inclosing  of  wild  beasts,  all  the  space  with- 
in is  desolation.  These  walls  might  probably,  be  demo- 
lished by  the  Saracens,  who  subverted  this  empire  of  the 
Persians,  or  they  might  be  ruined  or  destroyed  by  time : 
but  of  this  we  read  nothing,  neither  have  we  any  account 
of  Babylon  for  several  hundred  years  afterwards,  there 
having  been  such  a  dearth  of  authors  during  those  times 
of  ignorance. 

Of  later  authors,  the  first  who  mentions  any  thing  con- 
cerning Babylon,  is  Benjamin  of  Tudela,  a  Jew  who  lived 
in  the  twelfth  century.  In  his  Itinerary,  which  was  writ- 
ten almost  700  years  ago,  he  asserts  li  that  ancient  Baby- 

*  *  Babylon  forsaken.'*  See  Maximus  Tyrius,  Dissertation  VI. 
near  the  end. 

f  '  Not  long  hence  it  will  be  searched  for,  like  Kineveh.*  See 
Lucian's  Contemplations,  near  the  end. 

t  '  We  have  been  informed,  by  a  certain  Elamite  friar,  who 
at  present,  leads  a  monastic  life  in  Jerusalem,  but  came  from 
that  country,  that  Babylon  is  a  royal  hunting  park,  and  that 
wild  beasts  of  every  kind  are  shut  up  within  its  circuit.'  See  Je- 
rome's commentary,  on  Isa.  xiii.  pag-e  111.  Vol.  3.  in  the  Bene- 
dictine edition. 

§  *  For  excepting  the  walls  of  brick,  which  aficr  the  lapse  of 
many  years,  are  repaired,  for  confining  the  wild  beasts,  all  the 
space  in  the  middle  is  gone  to  a  wilderness.'  See  the  same  on 
Chap.  xiv.  page  115. 

II  Benjamin  in  his  Itinerary,  page  76,  saith,  that  men  are  afraid 
K  2 


298  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Ion  is  now  laid  waste,  but  some  ruins  are  sdll  to  be  seen 
of  Nebuchadnezzar's  palace,  and  men  Tear  to  enter  there 
on  account  of  the  serpents  and  scorpions,  which  are  in 
the  midst  of  it.  Texeira,  a  Portuguese,  in  the  descrip- 
tion of  his  travels  from  India  to  Italy,  affirms,*  that  of 
this  great  and  famous  city,  there  is  nothing  but  a  few 
vestiges  remaining,  nor  in  the  whole  region  is  any  place 
less  frequented. 

A  German  traveller,  whose  name  was  Rauwolf,  passed 
that  way  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  1574,  and  f  his  account  of 
the  ruins  of  this  famous  city,  is  as  follows:  "  The  village  of 
Elugo  now  lielh  on  the  place  where  formerly  old  Babylon, 
the  metropolis  of  Chaldea,  was  situated.  The  harbour  is  a 
quarter  of  a  league's  distance  from  it,  where  people  go 
ashore  in  order  to  proceed  by  land  to  the  celebrated  city 
of  Bagdat,  which  is  a  day  and  a  half's  journey  from 
thence  eastwsrd  on  the  Tigris.  This  country  is  so  dry 
and  barren,  that  it  cannot  be  tilled,  and  so  bare  that  I 
could  never  have  believed  that  this  powerful  city,  once 
the  most  stately  and  renowned  in  all  the  world,  and  situat- 
ed in  the  pleasant  and  fruitful  country  of  Shinar,  could  have 
ever  stood  there,  if  1  had  not  known  it  by  its  situation, 
and  many  aniiquities  of  great  beauty,  which  are  still 
standing  hereabout  in  great  desolation.  1  irst,  by  the  old 
bridge  which  was  laid  over  the  Euphrates,  whereof  there 
are  some  pieces  and  arches  still  remaining,  built  of  burnt 
brick,  and  so  strong  that  it  is  admhable. — Just  before  the 
village  of  Elugo  is  the  hill  whereon  the  castle  stood,  and 
the  ruins  of  its  fortifications  are  still  visible,  tjiough  de- 
molished and  uninhabited.  Behind  it,  and  pretty  near  to 
it,  did  stand  the  tower  of  Babylon. — It  is  still  to  be  seen, 
and  is  half  a  league  in  diameter;  but  so  ruinous,  so  low, 

to  enter  into  it,  by  reason  of  the  serpents  and  scorpions,  which 
dwell  in  the  midst  of  it.  See  Bochart's  Phaleg,  Book  IV.  Chap, 
xv.  Col.  234.  See  Vitringu  on  Isa.  xiii.  page  421.  Vol.  I.  Pri- 
deaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  VIII.  year  293,  and  12,  of  Pto- 
lomy  Soter.     See  Calmet's  Dictionary  on  the  word  Babylon. 

*  *  None  but  a  few  vestiges  remain  of  this  city  ;  nor  is  there 
any  place  in  that  country  less  frequented.*  See  Bochart  in  the 
same  place,  and  Prideaux. 

t  See  Babylon  in  Calmet*s  Dictionary,  and  Prideaux  as  before, 
fuid  Raay's  edition  of  these  Travels  in  linglish,  Part  2.  Chap.  7. 


THE  PUOPilECIES.  199 

and  so  full  of  venomous  creatures,  which  lodge  in  holes 
made  by  them  in  the  rubbish,  that  no  one  durst  approucli 
nearer  to  it  than  within  half  a  league,  except  during  two 
months  in  the  winter,  when  these  animals  never  stir  out 
of  their  holes.  There  is  one  sort  particularly,  which  the 
inhabitants,  in  the  language  of  the  country,  which  is  I'er- 
sian,  call  J'^glo,  the  poison  whereof  is  very  searching  : 
they  are  larger  than  our  lizards." 

A  noble  Roman,  Petrus  Valiensis,  (Delia  \'alle,)  was 
at  Bagdat  in  the  year  1616,  and  went  to  see  the  ruins,  as 
they  are  thought  of,  ancient  Babylon  ;  and  he  informs 
lis,  *  that  "  in  the  middle  of  a  vast  and  level  plain,  about  a 
quarterof  a  league  from  the  Euphrates,  which  in  that  place 
runs  westward,  appears  a  heap  of  ruined  buildinp:s.  like  a 
huge  mountain,  the  materials  of  which  are  so  confounded 
together,  that  one  knows  not  what  to  make  of  it. — Its 
situation  and  form  correspond  with  that  pyramid,  whici\ 
Strabo  calls  the  tower  of  Belus;  and  is  in  all  likelihood 
the  tower  of  Nimrod  in  Babylon,  or  Babel,  as  that  place 
is  still  called. There  appear  no  marks  of  ruins,  with- 
out the  compass  of  that  huge  mass,  to  convince  one  so 
great  a  city  as  Babylon  had  ever  stood  there :  all  one  dis- 
covers within  fifty  or  sixty  paces  of  it,  being  only  the  re- 
mains here  and  there,  of  some  foundations  of  buildings ; 
and  the  country  round  about  it  so  Hat  and  level,  that  one 
can  hardly  believe  it  should  be  chosen  for  the  situation 
of  so  great  and  noble  a  city  as  Babylon,  or  that  there  were 
ever  any  remarkable  buildings  on  it ;  but  for  my  part,  I 
am  astonished  there  appears  so  much  as  there  does,  con- 
sidering, it  is  at  least  four  thousand  years  since  that  city 
was  built,  and  that  Diodorus  Siculus  tells  us,  it  was  re- 
duced almost  to  nothing  in  his  time.'* 

Tayernier,  who  is  a  very  celebrated  traveller,  relates  t 
that  '^  at  the  parting  of  the  Tigris,  which  is  but  a  little 
way  from  Bagdat,  there  is  the  foundation  of  a  city,  which 
may  seem  to  have  been  a  large  league  in  compass.  There 
are  some  of  the  walls  yet  standing,  upon  which  six  coaches 

*  See  Viag-gi  de  Pietro  della  Valle,  Part  2.  Epistle  xvii.  See 
Le  Clerc's  Commentary  on  Isa.  xiii.  20.  See  A'^itringa's  Commen- 
tary on  the  same,  page  421,  of  Vol.  1.  See  also  Universal  His- 
tory, Book  1.  Chap   II.  Sect.  4-  Note  N. 

t  See  Tavernier  in  Harris's  Collection,  Vol.  2.  Book  2.  Chap.  v. 


200  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

may  go  abreast ;  They  are  made  of  burnt  brick,  ten  foot 
square  and  three  thick.  The  chronicles  of  the  country 
say,  here  stood  the  ancieni  Babylon."  Tavernier,  no 
doubt,  saw  the  saaie  ruins,  as  Benjamin  the  Jew,  and 
Rauwolf,  and  Peter  delie  Valhi  did;  but  he  thou54;ht  them 
not  to  be  the  ruins  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  palace,  or  of  the 
lower  of  Babel.  He  adopts  the  opinion  of  the  Arabs,  and 
conceives  them  to  be  rather  the  remains  of  some  tower 
built  by  one  of  their  princes  for  a  beacon  to  assemble  his 
subjects  in  time  of  war  :  and  this  in  all  probability  was 
the  troth  of  the  matter. 

Mr.  Salmon's*  observation  is  just  and  pertinent: 
*'  What  is  as  strange  as  any  thing-  that  is  related  of  Ba- 
bylon is,  that  we  cannot  learn  either  by  ancient  writers  or 
modern  travellers,  where  this  famous  city  stood,  only  in 
general,  that  it  was  situated  in  the  province  of  Chaldea, 
upon  the  river  Euphrates,  considerably  above  the  place 
where  it  is  united  with  the  Tigris.  Travellers  have 
guessed  from  the  great  ruins  they  have  discovered  in 
several  parts  of  this  country,  that  in  this  or  that  place 
Babylon  once  s^.ood:  but  when  we  come  to  examine  nice- 
ly the  places  they  mention,  we  only  learn  that  they  are 
certainly  in  the  wrong,  and  have  mistaken  the  ruins  of 
Seleucia,  or  i-ome  other  great  town." 

Mr.  Hanway  f  eoing  to  give  an  account  of  the  seige 
of  Bagdat  by  Nadir  Shah,  prefaceth  it  in  this  manner  j 
*' Before  we  enter  upon  any  circumstance  relating  to  the 
seige  of  Bagdat,  it  may  afford  some  light  to  the  subject, 
to  give  a  short  account  of  this  famous  city,  m  the  neigh- 
bourhood of  which  formerly  stood  the  metropolis  of  one 
of  the  most  ancient  and  most  potent  monarchies  in  the 
world.  The  place  is  generally  called  Bagdat  or  Bagdad, 
though  some  writers  preserve  the  ancient  name  of  Baby- 
lon. The  reason  of  thus  confounding  these  two  cities  is, 
that  the  Tigris  and  Euphrates,  forming  one  common 
stream  before  they  disembogue  into  the  Persian  gulf,  are 
not  unfrequently  mentioned  as  one  and  the  same  river. 
It  is  certain  that  the  present  Bagdat  is  situated  on  the 

*  See  Salmon's  Modern  History,  Vol.  I.  Present  state  of  the 
Turkish  Empire,  Chap.  xi. 

I  See  ihinway's  Travels,  Vol.  IV.  Part  111.  Chap.  x.  page  78. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  201 

Tigris,  but  the  ancient  Babylon,  accordinpj  to  all  histo- 
rians sacred  and  profane,  was  on  the  Kuphrates.  The 
ruins  of  the  latter,  which  ideographical  writers  place  about 
fifteen  lea.^ues  to  the  south  of  Bagdat,  are  now  so  nuich 
ciTaced,  that  there  are  hardly  any  vestiges  of  Ihtm  to  i)oint 
out  the  situation.  In  the  time  of  the  emperor  1  heodo- 
sius,  there  was  only  a  great  park  remaining,  in  which  the 
kings  of  Persia  bred  wild  beasts  for  the  amusement  of 
hunting.'* 

By  thc^e  accounts  we  see,  how  punctually  time  hath 
fulfilled  the  predictions  of  the  prophets  concerning  Baby- 
lon. When  it  was  converted  into  a  chase,  for  wiid  beasts 
to  feed  and  breed  there,  then  were  exactly  accomplished 
the  words  of  the  prophets,  that '  the  wild  beasts  of  tlie  de- 
sert, with  the  wild  beasts  of  the  islands,  should  dwell 
there,  and  cry  in  their  desolate  houses.'  One  part  of  the 
country  was  overfiowed,  by  the  river's  having  been  turn- 
ed out  of  its  course,  and  never  restored  again  to  its  for- 
mer channel,  and  thence  became  boggy  and  marshy,  so 
that  it  might  literally  be  said  to  be  '  a  possession  for  the 
bittern,  and  pools  of  water.'  Another  part  is  described 
xis  diy  and  naivcd,  and  barren  of  every  thing,  so  that  there- 
by, was  also  fulfilled  another  prophecy,  which  seemed  in 
some  measure  to  contradict  the  former.  '  Her  cities  are 
'a  desolation,  a  dry  land,  and  a  wilderness,  a  land  wherein 
no  man  dwelleth,  neither  doth  any  son  of  man  pass  there- 
by.' The  place  thereabout  is  represented  as  over-run 
with  serpents,  scorpions,  and  all  sorts  of  venemous,  and 
unclean  creatures,  so  that  '  their  houses  are  full  of  dole- 
ful creatures,  and  dragons  cry  in  their  pleasant  palaces ; 
and  Babylon  is  become  heaps,  a  dwelling  place  fo.r  dra- 
gons, an  astonishment  and  an  hissing  without  an  inhabi- 
tant.' For  all  these  reasons,  'neither  can  the  Arabian 
pitch  his  tent  there,  neither  can  the  shepherds  make  their 
folds  there.'  And  when  we  find  that  modern  travellers, 
cannot  now  certainly  discover  the  spot  of  ground,  where- 
on this  renowned  city  once  was  situated,  we  may  very 
properly  say,  '  How  is  Babylon  became  a  desolation 
among  the  nations?  Every  purpose  of  the  Lord  hath  he 
performed  against  Babylon,  to  make  the  land  of  Babylon 
a  desolation  without  an  inhabitant :'  and  the  expression 
is  no  less  true  than  sublime,  that '  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath 
swept  it  with  the  besom  of  destruction.* 


202  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

How  wonderful  are  such  predictions  compared  with 
the  events,  and  what  a  convincing  argument  of  the  truth 
and  divinity  of  the  holy  scriptures  !  Well  might  God  al- 
lege this  as  a  memorable  instance  of  his  prescience,  and 
challenge  all  the  false  gods  and  their  votaries,  to  produce 
the  like,  Isa.  xlv.  21.  xlvi.  10.  *  Who  hath  declared  this 
from  ancient  time  ?  who  hath  told  it  from  that  time  ? 
have  not  I  the  Lord  ?  and  there  is  no  God  else  beside  me, 
a  just  God  and  a  Saviour,  there  is  none  beside  me  ;  De- 
claring the  end  from  the  beginning,  and  from  ancient 
times,  the  things  that  are  not  yet  done,  saying,  My  coun- 
sel shall  stand,  and  I  will  do  all  my  pleasure,'  And  in- 
deed, where  can  you  find  a  similar  instance,  but  in  scrip- 
ture, from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  this  day. 

At  the  same  time,  it  must  aflord  all  readers  of  an  exalt- 
ed taste,  and  generous  sentiments,  all  the  friends  and  lo- 
vers of  liberty,  a  very  sensible  pleasure,  to  hear  the  pro- 
phets exulting  over  such  tyrants  and  oppressors,  as  the 
kings  of  Assyria.  In  the  14th  chapter  of  Isaiah  there  is 
an  Epinikion,  or  a  triumphant  ode  upon  the  fall  of  Baby- 
ion.  It  represents  the  infernal  mansions  as  moved, 
and  the  ghosts  of  deceased  tyi-ants,  as  rising  to  meet  the 
king  of  Bai)ylon,  and  congratulate  his  coming  among 
them.  It  is  really  admirable  for  the  severest  strokes  of 
irony,  as  well  as  for  the  sublimest  strains  of  poetry.  The 
Greek  poet  AIcxus,  *  who  is  celebrated  for  his  hatred  to 
tyrants,  and  whose  odes  were  animated  with  the  spirit  of 
liberty,  no  less  than  with  the  spirit  of  poetry,  we  may 
presume  to  say,  never  wrote  any  thing  comparable  to  it. 
The  late  worthy  professor  of  poetry  at  Oxford,  hath  emi- 
nently distinguished  it  in  his  lectures  f  upon  the  sacred 

*  And  O  Alcaeus, — thee  sounding  thy  notes  more  fully  with  a 
golden  bow,  &.c.     See  Horace,  Ode  IJ. 

Quintiliun  in  his  oratoi-ial  institutions.  Book  I.  Chap.  I,  Saith, 
that  Alcxus  in  a  pait  of  the  woj-k  is  presented  with  a  golden 
bow,  because  he  employs  it  against  tyrants,  &c. 

f  Lowtli  in  his  thirteenth  Prelection,  page  120,  &c.  saitb, 
tlu-oughout  the  wiiole,  a  free,  sublime,  and  truly  divine  spirit 
prevaileth ;  nor  is  there  any  tiling  wanting  to  add  to  tlie  subli- 
mity and  perfect  beauty  of  this  Ode:  to  wliich  if  I  should  speak 
freely  what  I  think,  there  is  nothing  that  equals,  or  indeed  that 
comes  near  to  it,  either  in  CJreek  or  Roman  poetry.'  See  also 
Prelection  XXYIII.  page  2772. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  203 

poesy  of  the. Hebrews,  and  hath  given  it  the  character 
that  it  justly  deserves,  of  one  of  the  most  spirited,  most 
sublime,  and  most  perfect  compositions  of  the  lyric  kind, 
superior  to  any  of  the  productions  of  Greece  or  Rome: 
and  he  hath  not  only  illustrated  it  with  an  useful  commen- 
tary, but  hath  also  copied  the  beauties  of  the  great  origi- 
nal, in  an  excellent  Latin  Alcaic  ode,  which  if  the  learn- 
ed reader  hath  not  yet  seen,  he  will  be  not  a  little  pleas- 
ed with  the  peruijal  of  it.  Another  excellent  hand,  Mr. 
Mason,  hath  likewise  imitated  it  in  an  English  ode,  with 
which  I  hope  he  will*  one  time  or  other  oblige  the  pub- 
lic. 

But  not  only  in  this  particular,  but  in  the  general,  the 
scriptures,  though  often  perverted  to  the  purposes  of  ty- 
ranny, are  yet  in  their  own  nature  calculated  to  promote 
the  civil,  as  well  as  the  religious  liberties  of  mankind. 
True  religion,  and  virtue,  and  liberty,  are  more  nearly  re- 
lated, and  more  intimately  connected  with  each  other, 
than  people  commonly  consider.  It  is  very  true,  as  St. 
Paul  saith,  2  Cor.  iii.  17.  that  *  where  the  spirit  of  the 
Lord  is,  there  is  liberty  :'  or  as  our  Saviour  himself  ex- 
presseth  it,  John  viii.  31,  32.  *  If  ye  continue  in  my  word, 
then  are  ye  my  disciples  indeed  :  And  ye  shall  know  the 
truths  and  the  truth  shall  make  ye  free.' 


XL 

THE  PROPHECIES  CONCERNING  TYRE. 

ANOTHER  city  that  was  an  enemy  to  the  Jews,  and 
another  memorable  instance  of  the  truth  of  prophecy,  is 
Tyre,  whose  fall  was  predicted  by  the  prophets,  and  par- 
ticularly by  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel.  But  it  hath  been  ques- 
tioned among  learned  men,  which  of  the  Tyres  was  the 
subject  of  these  prophecies,  whether  Palaetyrus,  or  old 
Tyre. that  was  seated  on  the  continent,  or  new  Tyre,  that 
was  built  in  an  island  almost  over  against  it.    The  truest 

*  Mr.  Mason  hath  since  published  this,  with  some  other  Odesi 
in  1756. 


OQ4  mSSERTATIOXS  OX 

and  best  answer  I  conceive  to  be,  that  the  prophecies  ap- 
pertain to  both,  some  expressions  being  applicable  only 
to  the  former,  and  others  only  to  the  latter.  In  one  place, 
Ezek.  xxvii.  3,  it  is  described  as  '  situate  at  the  entry  of 
the  sea  :'  in  others  ver.  4.  and  "25.  as  '  in  the  midst  of  the 
seas,'  or  according  to  the  original,  *in  the  heart  of  the 
seas.*  Sometimes,  Ezek.  xxvi.  7,  See.  it  is  represented 
as  besieged  *  with  horse  sand  with  chariots  ;*  a/orr,  a  mount, 
and  engines  of  war ^  are  set  against  it  j  at  other  times,  Isa. 
xxiii.  2,  4,  6.  it  is  expressly  called  an  island^  and  the  sea, 
even  the  strength  of  the  sea.  Now  it  is  said,  Ezek.  xxiv.  10. 
*  By  reason  of  the  abundance  of  his  horses,  their  dust  shall 
cover  thee,  thy  walls  shall  shake  at  the  noise  of  the  horse- 
men, and  of  the  wheels,  and  of  the  chariots  when  he  shall 
enter  into  thy  gates,  as  men  enter  into  a  city  wherein  is 
made  a  breach.'  Then  it  is  said,  ver.  12.  They  shall  break 
down  thy  walls,  and  destroy  thy  pleasant  houses,  and  they 
shall  lay  thy  stones,  and  thy  timber,  and  thy  dust,  in  the 
midst  of  the  water;'  andagain,  Ezek.xxviii.  8.  <•  They  shall 
bring  thee  down  to  the  pit,  and  thou  shalt  die  the  deaths 
of  them  that  are  slain  in  the  midst  of  the  seas.'  The  in- 
sular Tyre  therefore,  as  well  as  the  Tyre  upon  the  conti- 
nent, is  included  in  these  prophecies  ;  they  are  both  com- 
prehended under  the  same  name,  and  both  spoken  of  as 
one  and  the  same  city,  part  built  on  the  continent,  and 
part  on  an  island  adjoining.  It  is  commonly  said  indeed 
that  when  old  Tyre  was  closely  beseiged,  and  was  near 
falling  into  the  hands  of  the  Chaldeans,  then  the  Tyri- 
ans  fled  from  thence,  and  built  new  Tyre  ir\  the  island  : 
but  the  learned  *  Vitringa  hath  proved  at  large  from  good 
authorities,  that  new  Tyre  was  founded  several  ages  be- 
fore, and  was  the  station  for  ships,  and  considered  as  part 
of  old  Tyre;  andf  Pliny  speaking  of  the  compass  of  the 
city,  reckons  both  the  old  and  the  new  together. 

Whenever  the  prophets  denounce  the  downfall,  and 
desolation  of  a  city  or  kingdom,  they  usually  ascribe  by 

*  See  Vitringa's  Commentavv  on  Isa.  xxiii.  Vol.  I.  pages  667 
—671. 

t  *  The  circumference,  including  old  Tyre,  is  nineteen  miles.' 
See  Pliny's  Natural  History,  Book  V.  Chap.  xvii.  in  Harduin's 
edition. 


THE  PROPHEeiES.  265 

way  of  contrast  its  present  flourishing  condition,  to  show 
in  a  stronger  point  of  view,  how  providence  shifteth  and 
changeth  the  scene,  and  ordereth  and  disposeth  all  events. 
The  prophets  Isaiah  and  Kzekiel  observe  the  same  me- 
thod, with  regard  to  Tyre.  Isaiah  speaketh  of  it,  as  a 
place  of  great  antiquity,  xxiii.  7.  '  Is  this  your  joyous 
city,  whose  antiquity  is  of  ancient  days  "r*  And  it  is  men- 
tioned as  a  strong  place,  as  early  as  in  the  days  of  Joshua, 
Josh.  xix.  29.  '  the  strong  city  Tyre,'  for  there  is  no  reason 
for  supposing  with  Sir  John  Marsham,*  that  the  name  is 
used  here  by  way  o{ /iroiefisis  or  anticipation.  Nay,  there 
are  even  heathen  authors,  who  speak  of  the  insular  Tyre, 
and  yet  extol  the  great  antiquity  of  the  place.  The  Greek 
geographer  Strabo  saith,t  that  after  Sidon  the  greatest 
and  most  ancient  city  of  the  Phoenicians  is  Tyre,  which 
is  a  rival  to  Sidon  in  greatness,  and  lustre,  and  antiquity. 
The  Roman  historian  Quintus  Curtius  saith,:j:  that  it  is  a 
city  remarkable  to  posterity,  both  for  the  antiquity  of  its 
origin,  and  for  its  frequent  change  of  fortune.  Herodo- 
tus§  who  was  himself  at  Tyre,  and  enquired  into  the  an- 
tiquity of  the  temple  of  Hercules,  was  informed  by  the 
priests,  that  the  temple  was  built  at  the  same  time  as  the 
city,  and  from  the  building  of  the  city,  they  counted  two 
thousand  and  three  hundred  years.  The  ironical  expres- 
sion of  the  prophet,  '  Is  this  your  joyous  city,  whose  an- 
tiquity is  of  ancient  days  V  implies  that  the  Tyrians  were 
apt  to  boast  of  their  antiquity :  and  by  this  account  of 
Herodotus  it  appears  that  they  did  so,  and  much  exceed- 
ed the  truth  ;  but  there  could  have  been  no  pretence,  for 

*  jMarsham,  in  his  chronicle  of  the  XI  age,  salth  in  page  290. 
*  That  name  is  given  by  way  of  anticipation.' 

t  Next  to  Sidon,  Tyre  is  the  largest  and  most  ancient  city  of 
the  Phoenicians,  and  comparable  to  it  in  size,  beauty,  and  anti- 
quity,' See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  page  756,  in  the  Paris  edition, 
and  page  1007,  in  that  of  Amsterdam,  printed  in  1707. 

■^  *The  ancient  origin  of  this  city,  and  the  frequent  changes 
of  its  condition,  have  rendered  it  memorable  to  posterity.'  See 
Quintus  Curtius,  Book  IV".  Chap.  iv. 

§  '  For  they  said,  that  along  with  the  city,  the  foundation  of 
the  temple  of  the  god  (Hercules)  was  laid;  and  that  from  the 
building  of  Tyre,  they  reckoned  two  thousand  and  three  hun- 
dred years.'  See  Herodotus,  Book  II.  Chap.  xliv.  page  107,  in 
Gale's  edition. 

VOL.  I.  S 


206 


DISSEUTATIONS  ON 


their  boasting  of  thousands  of  years,  if  the  city  had  not 
been  built  (as  some  contend)  till  after  the  destruction  of 
the  old  city  by  the  Chaldeans,  that  is  not  one  hundred 
and  thirty  years  before.  Josephus  asserts,*  that  from 
the  building  of  Tyre,  to  the  building  of  Solomon's  tem- 
ple were  two  hundred  and  forty  years  ;  but  he  is  with  rea- 
son,! supposed  to  speak  of  the  insular  Tyre ;  for  the  other 
part  of  the  city  on  the  continent,  was  much  older,  was  a 
strong  place,  as  we  have  seen  in  the  days  of  Joshua,  and 
is  mentioned  in  the  fragments  of  Sanchoniathon,^  the 
Phoenician  historian,  who  is  reckoned  §  to  have  lived 
about  the  time  of  Gideon,||  or  somewhat  later. 

But  ancient  as  this  city  was,  it  was  the  daughter  of 
S'iclon,  as  it  is  called  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  xxiii.  12.  and 
ver.  2.  'the  merchants  of  Sidon  who  pass  over  the  sea, 
replenished  it.'  Sidoti  was  the  eldest  son  of  Canaan, 
Gen.  X.  15.  and  the  city  of  Sidon  is  mentioned  by  the 
patriarch  Jacob,  Gen.  xlix.  13.  and  in  the  days  of  Joshua, 
it  is  called  great  Sidon,  Josh.  xi.  8.  and  in  the  days  of 
the  Judges,  the  inhabitants  of  Laish  are  said,  Jud.  xviii. 
7.  to  have  '  dwelt  careless  and  secure  after  the  manner  of 
the  Sidonians.*  We  have  seen  already,  that  Strabo  af- 
firms, that  after  Sidon  Tyre  was  the  greatest  and  most 
ancient  city  of  the  Phoenicians;  and  he  asserts  likewise,^ 
that  the  poets  have  celebrated  Sidon  more,  and  Homer 
hath  not  so  much  as  mentioned  Tyre,  though  he  com- 
mends Sidon  and  the  Sidonians  in  several  places.  It  may 
be   therefore   with  reason  inferred,  that  Sidon  was  the 

*  '  From  the  building  of  Tyre  to  the  raising  oT  Solomon's 
temple,  there  were  two  hundred  and  forty  years.'  See  Jose- 
phus' Antiquities,  Book  VIII.  Chap.  iii.  Sect.  1.  page  341,  in 
riudson's  edition. 

t  See  Vitringa  in  the  same  place,  page  669. 

t  See  Eusebius'  Evangelical  Preparation,  Book  I.  Chap.  x. 
page  35,  in  Vigerus'  edition. 

§  *  Therefore  he  is  properly  thrown  back  to  the  time  of  Gi- 
.deon.'     See  Eochai't's  Canaan,  Book  II.  Chap.  xvii.  Col.  776. 

"  See  Stillingfleet's  book,  entitled  Origines  Sacrae,  Book  L 
Chap  ii. 

^  '  Indeed  the  poets  employ  themselves  more  in  celebrating 
the  praise  of  Sidon.  Homer  is  silent  with  respect  to  Tyre.' 
See  Strabo  in  the  place  above  quoted,  page  1097. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  20.7 

more  ancient:  and  Justin,*  the  epitomizer  of  Trogus, 
hath  expressly  informed  us,  that  the  Sidonians  being  be- 
sieged by  the  king  of  Ascalon,  went  in  ships  and  built 
Tyre.  But  though  Tyre  was  the  daughter  of  Sidon,  yet  • 
ihe  daughter  soon  equalled,  and  in  time  excelled  the  mo- 
ther, and  became  the  most  celebrated  place  in  the  world, 
for  its  trade  and  navigation,  the  seat  of  commerce,  and 
the  centre  of  riches,  and  is  therefore  called  by  Isaiah, 
xxiii.  3,  8.  <  a  mart  of  nations,  the  crowning  city,  whose 
merchants  are  princes,  whose  traffickers  are  the  honour- 
able men  of  the  earth ;'  and  Ezekiel,  as  it  were  com- 
menting upon  the  words  of  Isaiah,  a  mart  of  ?iatzo7is, 
Chap,  xxviii.  recounts  the  various  nations,  whose  com- 
modities were  brought  to  Tyre,  and  were  bought  and 
sold  by  the  Tyrians. 

It  was  in  this  wealthy  and  flourishing  condition,  when 
the  prophets  foretold  its  destruction  ;  Isaiah  125  years  at 
least  before  it  was  destroyed  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  An 
extensive  and  beneficial  trade,  soon  produces  luxury  and 
pride.  So  it  fared  with  the  Tyrians ;  and  for  these  and 
their  other  vices,"  as  well  as  for  their  insults  and  injuries 
done  to  the  Jews,  the  prophets  prophecied  against  them. 
Isaiah  mentions  their  pride  as  the  great  occasion  of  their 
fall,  xxiii.  9.  <  The  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposecj  it,  to 
stain  the  pride  of  all  glory,  and  to  bring  into  contempt  all 
the  honourable  of  the  earth.'  Ezekiel,  xxvii.  3,  8cc.  de- 
scribes at  large  their  luxury  even  in  their  shipping.  Cle- 
opatra's sailing  down  the  river  Cydnos  to  meet  her  gal- 
lant, Antony,  was  not  with  greater  finery  and  magnifi- 
cence ;  nor  have  f  the  historians  and  poets  painted  the 
one  in  more  livefy  colours,  than  the  prophet  hath  the 
other.  He  censures  likewise  the  pride  of  the  king  of 
Tyre,  in  arrogating  to  himself  divine  honours,  xxviii.  2, 
Sec.  *  Son  of  man,  say  unto  the  prince  of  Tyrus,  Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  Because  thine  heart  is  lifted  up,  and 
thou  hast  said,  I  am  a  God,  I  sit  in  the  seat  of  God,  in 

*  *  Many  years  afterwards,  the  inhabitants  of  Sidori  being"  dri- 
ven  from  their  city,  by  the  king"  of  Ascalon,  and  conveyed  by 
their  ships,  went  and  built  Tyre'  See  .Justin,  Book  XVlll. 
Chap.  i.  Sect.  5.  pag-e  362,  in  Gr.xvius'  edition. 

t  See  Plutarch's  life  of  Antony,  page  913,  Vol.  in  the  Paris 
edition  of  1624.    See  also  Shakspeure  aiid  Dryden- 


208  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

the  midst  of  the  seas ;  yet  thou  art  a  man,  and  not  God, 
though  thou  set  thine  heart  asj  the  heart  of  God  : — With 
thy  wisdom  and  with  thine  understanding,  thou  hast  got- 
ten thee  riches,  and  hast  gotten  gold  and  silver  into  thy 
treasures :     By  thy  great  wisdom,  and  by  thy  traffic  hast 
thou  increased  thy  riches,  and  thine  heart  is  lifted  up, 
because  of  thy   riches;     Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord 
God,  Because  thou  hast  set  thine  heart  as  the  heart  of 
God  ;  Behold  therefore,  I  will  bring  strangers  upon  thee, 
*the  terrible  of  the  nations ;    and  they  shall  draw  their 
swords  against  the  beauty  of  thy  wisdom,  and  they  shall 
defile  thy  brightness:   They  shall  bring  thee  down  to  the 
pit,  and  thou  shait  die  the  deaths  of  them  that  are  slain 
in  the  midst  of  the  -seas/     7'he  prophets  Jcel  and  Anios, 
had  before  denounced  the  divine  judgments  upon  the  Ty- 
rians  for  their  wickedness  in  general,  and  in  particular 
for  their  cruelty  to  the  children  of  Israel,  and  for  buying 
and  selling  them  like  cattle  in  the  markets.     Thus  saith 
the  Lord  by  the  prophet  Joel,  iii.  5,  Sec.     '  Because  ye 
have  taken  my  silver,  and  my  gold,  and  have  carried  into 
your  temples  my  goodly  pleasant  things  :    The  children 
alsoof  Judah,  and  the  children  of  Jerusalem  have  ye  sold 
unio  the  Grecians,  that  ye  might  remove  them  far  from 
their  border :  Behold,  I  will  raise  them  out  of  the  place 
whither  ye  have  sold  them,  and  will  return  your  recom-' 
pense  upon  your  own  head.'     Amos  speaketh  to  the  same 
purpose,  i.  9.     '  Thus  saith  the  Lord,  For  three  ti  ansgres- 
bions  of  Tyrus,  and  for  four  I  will  not  turn  away  the  pun- 
ishment thereof;   because  they  delivered  up  t,he  whole 
captivity  to  Edom,  and   remembered  not  the  brotherly 
covenant,'  that  is,  the  league  and  alliance  between  Hiram 
king  of  Tyre  on  one  part,  and  David  and  Solomon  on  the 
other.     The  Psalmist  reckons  them  among  the  most  in- 
veterate and  implacable  enemies  of  the  Jewish  name  and 
nation.  Psalm.  Ixxxiii.  6,  7.     '  The  tabernacles  of  Edom, 
and  the  Ishmaelites  of  Moab,  and  the  Hagarenes,  Gebal, 
and  Amnion,  and  Amalek,  the  Philistines  with  the  inha- 
bitants of  Tyre.'    Ezekiel  also  begins  his  prophecy  against 
them  with  a  declaration,  that  it  was  occasioned  by  their 
insulting  over  the  Jews,  upon  the  taking  of  Jerusalem  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  xxvi.  2,  3.     '  Son  of  man,  Because  that 
Tyrus  hath  said  against  Jerusalem,  Aha,  she  is  broken, 
that  was  the  gates  of  the  people;  she  is  turned  unto  me. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  209 

I  shall  be  replenished,  now  slie  is  laid  waste  :  Therefore, 
thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold,  1  am  against  thee,  O 
Tyrus,  and  will  cause  many  nations  to  come  up  against 
ihee,  as  the  sea  causeth  his  waves  to  come  up.' 

These  were  the  occasions  of  the  prophecies  against 
Tyre:  and  by  carefully  considering,  and  comparing  the 
prophecies  together,  we  shall  find  the  following  particu- 
lars, included  in  them  ;  that  the  city  was  to  be  taken,  and 
destroyed  by  the  Chaldeans,  who  were  at  the  time  of  the 
delivery  of  the  prophecy  an  inconsiderable  people,  and 
particularly  by  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon;  that 
the  inhabitants  should  fly  over  the  Mediterranean,  into 
the  islands  and  countries  adjoining,  and  even  there  should 
not  find  a  quiet  settlement ;  that  the  city  would  be  re- 
stored after  70  years,  and  return  to  her  gain  and  mer- 
chandize ;  that  it  should  be  taken  and  destroyed  again ; 
that  the  people  should  in  time  forsake  their  idolatry,  and 
become  converts  to  the  true  religion,  and  worship  of  God  ; 
and  finally,  that  the  city  should  be  totally  destroyed,  and 
become  a  place  only  for  fishers  to  spread  their  nets  upon. 
We  shall  find  these  particulars,  to  be  not  only  distinctly 
foretold,  but  likewdse  exactly  fulfilled. 

I.  The  city  was  to  be  taken,  and  destroyed  by  the  Chal- 
deans, who  were  at  the  time  of  the  delivery  of  the  pro- 
phecy, an  inconsiderable  people.  This,  we  think,  is  suf- 
ficiently implied  in  these  words  of  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
xxiii.  13.  'Behold,  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans;  this  peo- 
ple was  not  till  the  Assyrian  founded  it  for  them  that 
dwell  in  the  wilderness,  they  set  up  the  towers  thereof 
they  raised  up  the  palaces  thereof;  and  he  brought  it  to 
ruin.'  Behold^  an  exclamation,  that  he  is  5>^oing  to  utter 
something  new  and  extraordinary ;  '  the  land  of  the  Chal- 
deans,' that  is,  Babylon,  and  the  country  about  Babylon ; 
*  this  people  was  not,'  was  of  no  note,  or  eminence,  '  till 
the  Assyrian  founded  it  for  them  t^jat  dwell  in  the  wilder- 
ness,' they  dwelt  before  in  tents,  and  led  a  wandering  life 
in  the  wilderness,  till  the  Assyrians  built  Babylon  for  their 
reception  Babel  or  Babylon, was  first  built  by  the  children 
of  men,  after  the  flood.  After  the  dispersion  of  mankind, 
Nimrod  made  it  the  capital  of  his  kingdom.  With  N'im- 
rodnt  sunk  again,  till  the  Assyrians  rebuilt  it,  for  the  pur- 
poses here  mentioned ;  '  they  set  up  the  towers  thereof, 
s2 


210  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

they  raised  up  the  palaces  thereof,*  and  Herodotus,  Cte- 
sias.  and  other  ancieiu  liistorians  agree,  that  the  kings  of 
Assyria  fortified  and  beaulilied  liabylon  ;  and  he,  that  is 
this  people  mentioned  before,  the  Chaldeans  or  Babylo- 
nians, 'brought  it  to  ruin,'  that  is,  Tyre,  which  is  the 
subject  of  the  whole  prophecy.  The  Assyrians  were  at 
that  time,  the  great  monarchs  of  the  east;  the  Chaldeans 
were  their  slaves  and  subjects;  and  therefore  it  is  the 
iiflore  extraordinary,  that  the  prophet  should  so  many 
years  before-hand  foresee  the  successes  and  conquests  of 
the  Chaldeans. 

Ezeklel  lived  nearer  the  time,  and  he  declares  express- 
ly, that  the  city  should  be  taken,  and  destroyed  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar king  of  Babylon  ;  xxvi,  7 — 1 1.  *  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God,  Behold,  I  will  bring  upon  Tyrus,  Nebu- 
chadnezzar king  of  Babylon,  a  king  of  kings  from  the 
north,  with  horses,  and  with  chariots,  and  with  horse- 
men, and  companies,  and  much  people  ; — he  shall  slay 
thy  people  by  the  sv/ord,  and  thy  strong  garrisons,  and 
shall  go  down  to  the  ground.'  Salmaneser,  king  of  As- 
syria,* had  beseiged  Tyre,  but  without  success;  the  Ty- 
rians  had  with  a  few  ships  beaten  his  large  fieet;  but  yet 
Nebuchadnezzar  should  prevail.  Ezekiel  not  only  fore- 
told the  siege,  but  mentions  it  afterwards  as  a  past  trans- 
action, xxix.  18.  *  Son  of  man,  Nebuchadnezzar  king 
of  Babylon,  caused  his  army  to  serve  a  great  service 
against  I'yrus  ;  every  head  was  made  bald,  and  every 
shoulder  was  peeled.' 

Menander  the  Ephesian,  translated  the  Phoenician  an- 
lials  into  Greek ;  and  Josephus  asscrtsf  upon  their  autho- 
Tity,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  besieged  Tyre  1 3  years,  when 
Ithobal  was  king  there,  and  began  the  siege  in  the  seventh 
year  of  Ithobal's  reign,  and  that  he  subdued  Syria  and  all 
Phoenicia.     The  same  historian  ^  likewise  observes,  that 

*  See  Menander's  Annals  in  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  IX. 
Chap,  xiv.  Sect.  2.  page  428,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

\  See  Josephns  against  Apion,Bock  I.  Sec.  20  and  21,  in  Hud- 
son's edition. 

t  Philostratus,  both  in  the  histories  of  India  and  Phrcnicia,  as- 
serts, •  tliat  this  king  (Nebuchadnezzar)  besieged  Tyre  for  the 
space  of  thirteen  years,  at  the  time  that  Ithobalus  was  its  sove- 
reign.' See  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  xi.  Seet,  1.  page  460  in 
l.ludson's  edition. 


THE  PROPJIRCIES.  2ll 

Philostratiis  in  his  Indian  and  Phctnician  histories  affirms, 
that  tliis  king  (Nebuchadnezzar)  beseiged  Tyre  13  years, 
Ithobal  reigning  at  that  time  in  Tyre.  The  siege  conti- 
nuing so  lo)ig,  the  soldiers  must  needs  endure  many  hard- 
ships, so  that  hereby  we  better  understand  the  justness  of 
Ezekiel's  expression,  that  '  Nebuchadnezzar  caused  his 
army  to  serve  a  great  service  against  Tyrus  ;  every  head 
was  made  bald,  and  every  shoulder  was  peeled:'  sucli 
light  doth  prophane  history  cast  upon  sacred.  It  farther 
appears  from  the  Phoenician  annals,  quoted  by  the  same 
historian,*  that  the  Tyrians  received  their  kings  after- 
wards from  Babylon,  which  plainly  evinces  that  some  of 
the  blood  royal  must  have  been  carried  captives  thither. 
The  Phoenician  annals  too, as  Dr.  Prideauxf  liath  clearly 
shown,  agree  exactly  with  Ezekiel's  account  of  the  time, 
and  year,  wherein  the  city  was  taken.  Tyre  therefore 
according  to  the  prophecies  was  subdued,  and  taken  by 
Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Chaldeans :  and  after  this  we 
hear  little  more  of  that  part  of  the  city,  which  stood  up- 
on the  continent.  It  is  some  satisfaction,  that  we  are  able 
to  produce  such  authorities,  as  we  have  produced,  out  of 
heathen  historians,  for  transactions  of  such  remote  anti- 
quity. 

II.  The  Inhabitants  should  pass  over  the  Mediterra- 
nean, into  the  Islands  and  countries  adjoining,  and  even 
there  should  find  no  quiet  settlement.  This  is  plainly 
signified  by  Isaiah,  xxiii.  6.  '  Pass  ye  over  to  Tarshish,' 
that  is  to  Tartessus  in  Spain,  '  howl  ye  inhabitants  of  the 
isle  :'  and  again,  ver.  12.  *  Arise,  pass  over  to  Chittim,' 
that  is,  the  islands  ;ind  countries  bordering  upon  the 
Mediterranean  ;  *  there  also,  shalt  thou  have  no  rest.' — 
What  the  prophet  delivers  by  way  of  advice,  is  to  be  un- 
derstood as  a  prediction.  Ezekiel  intimates  the  same 
thing,  xxvi.  18.  *  The  isles  that  are  in  the  sea  shall  be 
troubled  at  thy  departure.'  It  is  well  known  that  the 
Phoenicians  were  the  best  navigators  of  antiquity,  and 
sent  forth  colonies  into  several  parts  of  the  world.  A 
great  scholar  of  the  last  century,  hath  written  a  whole 

*  See  Joseplnis  ag-ainst  Apion,  Book  I.  Sect.  21.  page  1344, 
in  Hudson's  edition. 

t  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  II.  year  573,  and 
32  of  Ncbuchadneixar. 


212  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

tieatise  *  of  the  colonies  of  the  Phoenicians,  a  work  (as  in- 
deed all  his  are)  of  iuimense  learning  and  erudition.— 
And  of  all  the  Phoenicians,  the  Tyrians  were  the  most 
celebrated  for  their  shipping  and  colonies.  Tyre  exceed- 
ed Sidon  in  this  respect,  as  Strabo  testifieb,-|-  and  sent 
forth  colonies  into  Africa  and  Spain,  unto  and  beyond  the 
pillars  of  Hercules :  and  Quintus  Curtius  saith,  t  that  - 
her  colonies  were  diffused  almost  over  the  whole  world. 
The  Tyriuns  therefore  having  planted  colonies  at  Tar- 
shish,  and  upon  the  coasts  of  Chittim,  it  was  natural  for 
them,  when  they  v/ere  pressed  with  dangers  and  diflicul- 
ties  at  home,  to  fiy  to  their  friends  and  countrymen 
abroad  for  refuge  and  protection.  That  they  really  did 
so,  St.  Jerome  asserts  upon  the  authority  of  Assyrian 
'histories,  which  are  now  lost  and  perished.  '  We  have 
read,  saith  he;§  in  the  histories  of  the  Assyrians,  that 
when  the  Tyrians  were  besieged,  after  they  saw  no  hope 
of  escaping,  they  went  on  board  their  ships,  and  fled  to 
Carthage,  or  to  some  islands  of  the  Ionian  and  Agean 
sea.'  And  in  another  place  he  saith,5[  that  when  the 
Tyrians  saw  that  the  works  for  carrying  on  the  siege 
were  perfected,  and  the  foundations  of  the  walls  were 
shaken,  by  the  battering  of  the  rams,  whatsoever  preci- 
ous things  in  gold,  silver,  cloths,  and  various  kinds  of 
furniture  the  nobility  had,  they  put  them  on  board  their 

»  See  Boch art's  Canaan. 

■f  *  Rut  the  Colonies  sent  into  Africa  and  Spain,  to  and  be- 
yond the  pillars  of  Hercules,  celebrated  Tyre  much  in  their 
song-s'.'     See  Strabo,  Book  XVI.  pag-e  1097- 

^    t  '  Surely  its  colonies   were   spread  almost   over   the    whole 
world.'     See  Quhitus  Curtius,  Book  IV.  Chap.  iv. 

§  We  have  read  in  tlie  Assyrian  histories,  that  when  the  Ty- 
rians being'  besieged,  perceived  that  no  hope  of  escaping 
left,  went  on  board  their  ships,  and  fled  to  Carthage,  or  to  the 
islands  of  the  Ionian  and  jEgean  sea.  See  Jerome  on  Isa.  xxiii. 
6.  page  144,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

^  *  Which  (works  for  carrying  on  the  siege,)  when  the  Ty- 
rians saw  completed,  and  the  foundations  of  their  walls  shaken 
by  the  blows  of  the  battering-rams,  whatever  precious  commo- 
dity in  gold,  or  silver,  in  apparel  or  furniture,  the  Noblesse 
Vrere  first  in  possession  of,  they  put  it  0)i  board  of  ships,  and 
conveyed  it  to  the  islands:  so  thut  Avhen  the  city  was  taken, 
Nebuchadnezzar  found  nothing  in  it  to  reward  his  toil.'  See 
Jerome  on  Ezek.  xxix.,  page  909. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  213 

ships,  and  carried  to  the  islands  ;  so  that  the  city  being 
taken,  Nebuchadnezzar  found  nothing  worthy  of  his  la- 
bour.' It  must  have  been  grievou.s  to  Nebuchadnezzar, 
after  so  long  and  laborious  a  siege,  to  be  disappointed  of 
the  spoil  of  So  rich  a  city;  and  therefore  Ezekiel  was 
commissioned  to  promise  him  the  conquest  of  Egypt 
for  his  reward;  xxix.  18,  19.  '  Son  of  man,  Nebuchad- 
nezzar king  of  Babylon,  caused  his  army  to  serve  a  great 
service  against  Tyrus:  every  head  was  made  bald,  and 
every  shoulder  was  peeled  :  yet  had  he  no  wages,  nor  his 
army  for  Tyrus,  for  the  service  that  he  had  served  against 
it.  Therefore  thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  Behold  I  will 
give  the  land  of  E!;ypt  unto  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Ba- 
bylon, and  he  shall  take  her  multitude,  and  take  her 
spoil,  and  take  her  prey,  and  it  shall  be  the  wages  for  his 
army.' 

But  though  the  Tyrians  should  pass  over  to  Tarshish, 
and  to  Chittim,  yet  even  there  they  should  find  no  quiet 
settlement,  '  there  also,  shalt  thou  have  no  rest.'  Me- 
gasthenes,  *  v/ho  lived  about  300  years  before  Christ, 
and  was  employed  by  Seleucus  Nicator  in  an  embassy  to 
the  king  of  India,  wrote  afterwards  a  history  of  India, 
Avherein  he  mentioned  Nebuchadnezzar  with  great  honor. 
I'his  historian  is  quoted  by  several  ancient  authors,  and 
he  is  cited  particularly  by  t  Strabo,  Josephus,  and  Aby- 
denus  in  Eusebius  for  saying  that  Nebuchadnezzar  sur- 
passed Hercules  in  bravery  and  great  exploits,  that  he 
subdued  great  part  of  Africa  and  Spain,  and  proceeded  as 
for  as  to  the  pillars  of  Hercules.  After  Nebucliadnezzar 
had  subdued  Tyre  and  Egypt,  we  may  suppose  that  he 
carried  his  arms  farther  westward  ;  and  if  he  proceeded 
so  far  as  Megasthenes  reports,  the  Tyrians  might  well  be 

*  See  Arrlan's' expedition  of  Alexander,  Book  V.  Chap.  vi. 
page  203.  See  also  his  Indian  histor}^  Chap.  v.  page  318,  In 
Gronovius*  edition.  See  Vossius'  Greek  History,  Rook  I.  Chap, 
xi.  See  also  Prideaux*  Connections,  Part  I.  Eook  YUI.  year 
298,  and  7th  of  Ptolomy  Soter. 

f  See  Strabo,  Ro(jk  XV.  pag-e  687,  in  the  Paris  edition,  and 
page  1007,  in  that  of  Amsterdam,  printed  in  1707.  See  Jose- 
phiis'  Antiquitie.s,  Hook  X.  Chap,  xi.  Sect,  1.  page  460,  See 
him  against  Apion,  Rook  I.  Sect.  20.  pag-e  1343,  in  Hudson's 
ed'^tion.  See  also  Kusebius'  Evanc;-elicul  Preparation,  Book  IXt 
Chap.  xvi.  page  456,  in  Vigerus'  edition. 


214  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

said  to  have  no  rest^  their  conqueror  pursuing  them  from 
one  country  to  another.  But  besides  this,  and  after  this, 
the  Carthaginians,  and  other  colonies  of  the  Tyrians 
lived  in  a  very  unsettled  state.  Their  history  is  made 
up  of  httle  but  wars  and  tumults,  even  before  their  three 
fatal  wars  with  the  Romans,  in  every  one  of  which  their 
affairs  grew  worse  and  worse.  Sicily  and  Spain,  Europe 
and  Africa,  the  land  and  their  own  element  the  sea,  were 
theatres  of  their  calamities  and  miseries  ;  till  at  last  not 
only  the  new,  but  old  Carthage  too  was  utterly  destroyed. 
As  the  Cai'thaginians  sprung  from  the  Tyrians,  and  the 
Tyrians  from  the  Sidonians,  and  Sidon  was  the  first-born 
of  Canaan,  Gen.  x.  15.  so  the  curse  upon  Canaan  seem- 
eth  to  have  pursued  them  to  the  most  distant  parts  of 
the  earth. 

III.  The  city  should  be  restored  after  70  years,  and 
return  to  her  gain  and  her  merchandise.  This  circum- 
stance is  expressly  foretold  by  Isaiah,  xxiii.  13,  16,  17. 
*  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  that  day,  that  Tyre  shall 
be  forgotten  seventy  years,  according  to  the  days  of  one 
King,'  or  kingdom  meaning  the  Babylonian  which  was 
to  continue  70  years :  '  after  the  end  of  seventy  years, 
shall  Tyre  sing  as  an  harlot.  Take  an  harp,  go  about 
the  city,  thou  harlot  that  hast  been  forgotten,  make  sweet 
melody,  sing  many  songs,  that  thou  mayest  be  remem- 
bered. And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  after  the  end  of  seven- 
ty years,  that  the  Lord  will  visit  Tyre,  and  she  shall  turn 
to  her  hire,  and  shall  commit  fornication  with  all  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world,  upon  the  face  of  the  earth.' — 
Tyre  is  represented  as  an  harlot,  and  from  thence  these 
figures  are  borrowed,  the  plain  meaning  of  which  is,  that 
she  should  lie  neglected  of  traders  and  merchants  for  70 
years,  as  long  as  the  Babylonian  empire  lasted,  and  after 
that  she  should  recover  her  liberties  and  her  trade,  and 
draw  in  several  of  all  nations  to  deal  with  her,  and  par- 
ticularly the  kings  of  the  earth  to  buy  her  purples,  which 
were  wore  chiefly  by  emperors  and  kings,  and  for  which 
Tyre  was  famous  above  all  places  in  the  world. 

Seventy  years  was  the  time  prefixed  for  the  duration 
of  the  Babylonian  empire.  So  long  the  nations  were  to 
groan  under  that  tyrannical  yoke,  though  these  nations 
were  subdued  some  sooner,  some  later  than  others,  Jer. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  215 

XXV.  11,12.  <  These  nations  shall  serve  the  king  of  Ba- 
bylon seventy  years :  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when 
seventy  years  are  accomplished,  that  I  will  punish  the 
kint^  of  Babylon,  and  that  nation,  saith  the  Loid,  lor  their 
iniquity,  and  the  land  of  the  Chaldeans  and  will  xnake  it 
perpetual  desolations.'  And  accordingly  at  the  end  of 
seventy  years,  CyiHis  and  the  Persians  subverted  the  Ba- 
bylonian empire,  and  restored  the  conquered  nations  to 
their  liberties. 

But  we  may  compute  these  70  years  after  another  man- 
ner,* Tyre  was  taken  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  in  the  3 2d 
year  of  his  reign,  and  in  the  year  573  before  Christ. — 
Seventy  years  from  thence  will  bring  us  down  to  the 
year  503  before  Christ,  and  the  19th  of  Darius  Hystaspis. 
At  that  time  it  appears  from  history,!  that  the  lonians 
had  rebelled  against  Darius,  and  the  Phoenicians  assisted 
him  with  their  fleets  :  and  consequently  it  is  reasonable 
to  conclude,  that  they  were  now  restored  to  their  former 
privileges.  In  the  succeeding  reign,  we  find  +  that  they, 
together  with  the  Sidonians,  furnished  Xerxes  with  se- 
veral ships  for  his  expedition  into  Greece.  And  by  the 
time  of  Alexander,  the  Tyrians  were  grown  to  such 
power  and  greatness,  that  they  stopped  the  progress  of 
that  rapid  conqueror,  longer  than  any  part  of  the  Per- 
sian empire  besides.  But  all  this  is  to  be  understood  of 
the  insular  Tyre  ;  for  as  the  old  city  flourished  most  be- 
fore the  time  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  so  the^new  city  flou- 
rished most  afterwards,  and  this  is  the  Tyre  that  hence- 
forth is  so  much  celebrated  in  history. 

IV.  The  city  should  be  taken  and  destroyed  again. — 
For  when  it  is  said  by  the  prophets,  Isa.  xxiii.  6.  ^  Howl 
ye  inhabitants  of  the  isle;'  Ezek.  xxvii.  32.  *  What 
city  is  like  Tyrus,  like  the  destroyed  in  the  midst  of  the 
sea  ?  xxviii  8.  *  They  shall  bring  thee  down  to  the  pit, 
and  thou  shalt  die  the  deaths  of  them  that  are  slain  in  the 
midst  of  the  sea :'  these  expressions  can  imply  no  less 
than  the  insular  Tyre  should  be  destroyed  as  well  as  that 

*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I   Book  II.  and  Book  IV. 

f  See  Herodotus,  Book  V.  Chap,  cvili.  &c.  page  330. 

i:  See  Herodotus,  Book  VH.  Chap.  Ixxxix,  Sec.  page  412,  in 
Gale's  edition.  See  Dlodorus  Siculus,  Book  XI.  page  244,  in 
Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  3,  Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Khodomanus. 


216  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

upon  the  continent ;  and  as  the  one  was  accomplished  by 
Nebuchadnezzar,  so  was  the  other  by  Alexander  the 
Great.  But  the  same  thing  may  be  inferred  more  direct- 
ly from  the  words  of  Ze<^hariah,  who  prophecied  in  the 
reign  of  Darius,  Zech.  i.  1.  vii.  1.  pi-obably  Darius 
Hystaspis,  many  years  after  the  former  destruction  of 
the  city,  and  consequently  he  must  be  understood  to 
speak  of  this  latter.  His  words  are  these?  ix.  3,  4. — 
'  And  Tyrus  did  build  herself  a  strong  hold,  and  heaped 
up  silver  as  the  dust,  and  fine  gold  as  the  mire  of  the 
streets.  Behold  the  Lord  will  cast  her  out,  and  he  will 
smite  her  power  in  the  sea,  and  she  shall  be  devoured 
with  fire.'  It  is  very  true  that  Tyrus  did  build  her  a 
stronghold;  for  her  situation  was  very  strong  in  an 
island,  and  besides  the  sea  to  defend  her  she  was  for- 
tified with  a  wall  of  150  feet  in  height,  and  of  a  propor- 
tionable thickness.  *  She  heaped  up  silver  as  the  dust, 
and  fine  gold  as  the  mire  of  the  streets,'  being  the  most 
celebrated  place  in  the  world  for  trade  and  riches,  '  the 
mart  of  nations,'  as  she  is  called,  conveying  the  commo- 
dities of  the  east  to  the  west,  and  of  the  west  to  the  east. 
But  yet  '  Behold  the  Lord  will  cast  her  out,  and  he  will 
smite  her  power  in  the  sea,  and  she  shall  be  devoured 
with  fire.'  Ezekiel  had  likewise  foretold  that  the  city 
should  be  consumed  with  fire,  xxviii.  18.  *  I  will  bring 
forth  a  fire  from  the  midst  of  thee,  it  shall  devour  thee, 
and  I  will  bring  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  earth,  in  the  sight 
of  all  tiiem  that  behold  thee.'  And  accordingly  Alexan- 
der besieged,  and  took,  and  set  t  the  city  on,  fire.  The 
ruins  of  old  Tyre  contributed  much  to  the  taking  of  the 
new  city :  for  +  with  the  stones  and  timber  and  rubbish 
©f  the  old  city,  Alexander  built  a  bank  or  causey  from 
the  continent  to  the  island,  thereby  literally  fulfilling  the 
words  of  the  prophet   Ezekiel,  xxvi.   12.     <  They  shall 

*  See  Arrian's  expedition  of  Alexander,  Book  II.  Chap.  xxi. 
page  96,  in  Gronovius'  edition.  *  The  height  was  an  hundred 
and  fifty  feet,  and  of  a  coiresponding  thickness. 

t  See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book  IV.  Chap.  iv.  *  And  he  orders 
fire  to  be  thrown  into  the  houses.' 

\  See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book  IV.  Chap.  il.  See  Diodorus 
Siculus,  Book  XVII.  page  583,  in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  219, 
Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Rliodomanus. 


THE  PUOPIIECIES.  217 

lay  thy  stones,  aud  thy  timber,  and  thy  dust  in  the  midst 
of  the  water.'  He  was  seven  montb.s  in  completing  this 
work,  but  the  time  and  lai:)0ur  were  well  employed,  for  by 
means  hereof  he  was  enabled  to  storm  and  take  the  city. 
As  in  the  former  siege,  the  inhabitants  according  to 
the  prophecies,  fled  over  the  Mediterranean,  to  the  islands 
and  countries  adjoining ;  so  they  did  likewise  in  this  latter 
siege;  for  Diodorua  Siculus,  *  and  Quintus  Curtius,  both 
testify  that  they  sent  their  wives  and  children  to  Carthage  ; 
and  upon  the  taking  of  the  place,  the  Sidoniansf  secretly 
conveyed  away  fifteen  thousand  more  in  their  ships.  Hap- 
py were  they  who  thus  escaped,  for  of  those  who  remained 
beliind,  the  conqueror  +  slew  eight  thousand,  in  the  storm- 
ing and  taking  of  the  city,  he  caused  two  thousand  after- 
wards cruelly  to  be  crucified,  and  thirty  thousand  he  sold 
for  slaves.  They  had  before  sold  some  of  the  captive 
Jews,  and  now  it  was  returned  upon  thena  according  to 
the  prediction  of  Joel,  iii.  6,  7,  8.  '  The  children  also  of 
Judah,  and  the  children  of  Jerusalem  have  ye  sold;  Be- 
hold, I  will  return  your  recompense  upon  your  own  head, 
and  will  sell  your  sons  and  your  daughters.'  This  is  the 
main  of  the  prophecy,  that  as  they  had  sold  the  captive 
Jews,  so  they  should  be  sold  themselves  :  and  having  seen 
this  so  punctually  fulfilled,  we  may  more  easily  believe 
that  the  other  parts  were  so  too,  though  at  this  distance 
of  time,  and  in  this  scarcity  of  ancient  historians,  we  are 
not  able  to  prove  all  the  particulars.  When  the  city  was 
taken  before,  the  Tyrians  received  their  kings  afterwards 
from  Babylon;  and  now  their  §  king  held  his  crown  by 

*  'They  determined  to  send  their  children  and  wives,  and 
aged  people  to  Carthag-e,  They  prevented  a  part  of  their  cliil- 
dren  and  wives  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  by 
sending  tliem  away  secretly  to  the  Carthaginians.'  See  Diodo- 
rus  Siculus,  Book  XVII. — 'They  delivered  their  wives  and  chll- 
dren  to  be  conveyed  to  Carthage.'  See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book 
IV.  Chap.  iii.. 

f  See  Quintus  Curtius,  Book  IV.  Chap.  iv. 

:^  See  Arrian,  Book  II.  Chap,  xxiv  page  100,  in  Gronovius' 
edition.     See  the  same  place  of  Quintus  Curtius. 

§  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XVII.  page  587,  in  Stephanus* 
edition,  and  page  524,  Vol.  II.  in  the  edition  of  Hhodomanus. 
*  He  appointed  one  named  Byllonymus,  king  of  the  city  of  the 
Tyrians.' 

VOL.   I.  T 


218  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Alexander's  appointment.  The  cases  are  parallel  in 
many  respects  ;  but  the  city  recovered  much  sooner  from 
the  calamities  of  this  siege  than  from  the  fatal  consequen- 
ces of  the  former.  For  in  nineteen  years*  time,  it  was 
able  to  withstand  the  fleets  and  armies  of  Antigonus,  and 
sustained  a  siege  of  fifteen  months  before  it  was  taken  : 
a  plain  proof,  as  Dr.  Prideaux  observes  of"  the  great  ad- 
vantage of  trade.  For  this  city  being  the  grand  mart, 
where  most  of  the  trade,  both  of  the  east  and  west  did 
then  centre,  by  virtue  hereof  it  was,  that  it  so  soon  reviv- 
ed to  its  pristine  vigour." 

V.  It  is  usual  with  God,  to  temper  his  judgments  with 
mercy  :  and  amidst  these  calamities  it  is  also  foretold,  that 
there  should  come  a  time,  when  the  Tyrians  would  for- 
sake their  idolatry,  and  become  converts  to  the  true  re- 
ligion and  worship  of  God.  The  Psalmist  is  thought  to 
have  hinted  as  much  in  saying,  xlv.  12.  '  The  daughter 
of  Tyre  shall  be  there  with  a  gift,*  and  again,  Ixxii.  10. 
"  The  kings  of  Tarshish,  and  of  the  isles  shall  bring  pre- 
sents.* Zechariah,  when  he  foretels  the  calamities, 
which  the  Tyrians  and  neighbouring  nations  should  suf- 
fer from  Alexander,  ix.  1 — 7.  at  the  same  time,  predicts 
their  conversion  to  the  true  God ;  but  he  that  remaineth, 
even  he  shall  be  for  our  good.'  But  nothing  can  be  plain- 
er than  Isaiah's  declaration,  that  they  should  consecrate 
the  grains  of  their  merchandise,  for  the  maintenance 
of  those  who  minister  to  the  Lord  in  holy  things, 
xxxiii.  18.  '  And  her  merchandise,  and  her  hire  shall 
be  holiness  to  the  Lord  ;  it  shall  not  be  treasured,  nor  laid 
up ;  for  her  merchandise,  shall  be  for  them  that  dwell  be- 
fore the  Lord,  to  eat  sufficiently,  and  for  durable  clothing.* 
Here  particularly  we  must  be  much  obliged  to  the  learn- 
ed Vitringa,t  who  hath  fully  shown  the  completion  of 
this  article  ;  as  indeed  every  one,  who  would  rightly  un- 
derstand the  prophet  Isaiah,  must  be  greatly  obliged  to 
that  able  commentator,  and  will  receive  more  light  and 
assistance  from  him,  than  from  all  besides  him. 

*  See  Dlodorus  Siculus,  Rook  XIX.  page  704,  in  Stephanas' 
edition,  and  page  703,  Vol.  II.  in  that  of  Kliodomanus.  See  Pri- 
deaux' Connections,  Part  I.  Book  VIII,  year  313,  and  4,  of  Alex- 
ander. 

t  See  Vitringa's  Commentary  on  Isa.  xxUi.    Vol.  I.  page  704. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  i>19 

The  Tyrians  were  nuich  addicted  to  the  worship  of 
Hercules,  as  he  was  called  by  the  Greeks,  or  of  Baal,  as 
he  is  denominated  in  scripture.  But  in  process  of  time, 
by  the  means  of  some  Jews  and  Proselytes,  livini^  and 
conversing  among  them,  some  of  them  also  became  pro- 
selytes to  tlie  Jewish  religion  ;  so  that  '  a  great  multitude 
of  people  from  tlie  sea  coast  of  Tyre  and  Sidon,  came  to 
hear'  our  Saviour,  Luke  vi.  17.  '  and  to  be  healed  of  their 
diseases  :'  and  our  Saviour,  who  was  '  sent  only  to  the 
lost  sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel,*  yet  came  '  into  the 
coasts  of  Tyre  and  Sidon  ;'  Matth.  xv.  21,  kc.  IVlark  vii. 
24,  &c.  and  the  first  fruits  of  the  gospel  there,  was  aTy- 
rian  woman,  '  a  woman  of  Canaan,'  as  she  is  called,  a 
Syro-phcenician  by  nation.'  When  St.  Paul  in  his  way 
to  Jerusalem  came  to  Tyre,  he  found  disciples  there,  who 
were  inspired  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  prophecied,  Acts 
xxi.  4.  and  with  them  he  'tarried  seven  days.*  The  Ty- 
rians were  such  sincere  converts  to  Christianity,  that  in 
the  time  of  Dioclesian's  persecution,  they  exhibited  several 
glorious  examples  of  confessors  and  martyrs:  this  Euse- 
bius  *  himself  saw,  and  hath  amply  testified  in  his  book  of 
the  martyrs  of  Palestine.  Afterwards,  when  the  storm  of 
persecution  was  blown  over,  the  Tyrians  under  their 
Bishop  Paulinus,  built  an  oratory  or  rather  a  temple,  for 
the  public  worship  of  God,  the  most  magnificent  and 
sumptuous  in  all  Palestine  and  Phoenicia,  which  temple 
Eusebiusf  hath  described,  and  celebrated  in  a  handsome 
panegyrici  whereof  he  hath  inserted  a  copy  in  his  history, 
but  modestly  concealed  the  name  of  the  author.  Euse- 
bius  therefore  commenting  upon  this  passage  of  Isaiah, 
might  very  well  ^  say  that '  it  is  fulfilled  in  our  time.  For 
since  a  church  of  God  hath  been  founded  in  Tyre,  as  well 
as  in  other  nations,  many  of  its  goods  gotten  by  merchan- 

*  See  Eusebius'  Ecclesiastical  History,  Book  VHI.  Chap.  vii. 
See  the  Palestine  Martyrs,  Chap.  v.  and  vii. 

t  See  Eusebius'  Ecclesiastical  History,  Book  X.  Chap.  iv. 

i  '  Which  we  see  accomplished  in  our  time.  For  since  a 
church  of  God  hath  been  established  in  the  ciiy  of  Tyre,  in  like 
manner  as  in  ot)ier  nations,  much  of  its  wealtli  procured  by  mer- 
chandise, offered  to  its  church,  is  consecrated  to  the  Lord.  This 
he  soon  afterwards  exj)lains  by  saying",  that  it  is  applied  to  the 
use  of  tlie  ministers  of  the  altar,  or  of  the  gospel,  according  to 
the  liord's  appointment,  that  they  who  serve  at  the  altar,  shocild 
live  by  it.* 


220  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

disc  are  consecrated  to  the  Lord,  being  offered  to  his 
chiipch  ;'  as  he  afterwards  explains  himself,  "  for  the  use 
of  the  ministers  of  the  altar  or  gospel,  according-  to  the 
institution  of  our  Lord,  that  they  who  wait  at  the  altar, 
should  live  of  the  altar."  In  like  manner  St.  Jerome:* 
''  We  may  behold  churches  in  Tyre  built  to  Christ ;  we 
may  see  their  riches  that  they  are  not  laid  up,  nor  treasur- 
ed, but  given  to  those  who  dwell  before  the  Lord.  For  the 
Lord  hatfi  appointed,  that  they  who  preach  the  gospel, 
should  live  of  the  gospel."  And  how  liberally,  and  munifi- 
cently the  bishops  and  clergy  were  at  that  time  maintained, 
how  plentifully  they  were  furnished  with  every  thing,  *  to 
eat  sufficiently,  and  for  durable  clothing,' no  man  can  want 
to  be  informed,  who  is  ever  so  little  conversant  in  eccle- 
siastical history.  To  the«e  proofs  we  will  only  add,  that 
as  Tyre  consecrated  its  merchandise  and  hire  unto  the 
Lord,  so  it  had  the  honour  t  of  being  erected  into  an  arch- 
bishopric, and  the  first  archbishopric  under  the  patriar- 
chate of  Jerusalem,  having  fourteen  bishops  under  its 
primacy  ;  and  in  this  state  it  continued  several  years. 

VL  But  after  all,  the  city  should  be  totally  destroyed, 
and  become  a  place  only  for  fishers  to  spread  their  nets 
upon.  When  the  prophets  denounced  the  destruction  of 
a  city  or  country,  it  was  not  intended  that  such  denun- 
ciation should  take  eff'ect  immediately.  The  sentence 
of  condemnation,  (as  I  may  say,)  was  then  passed  upon 
it,  but  the  execution  might  be  respited  for  some  time. 
When  it  was  threatened  that  Babylon  should  become  a 
desolation  without  an  inhabitant,  there  were,  yet  many 
ages  before  it  was  reduced  to  that  condition ;  it  decayed 
by  degrees,  till  at  last  it  came  to  nothing  ;  and  now  the 
place  is  so  little  known,  that  you  may  look  for  Babylon 
in  the  midst  of  Babylon.  In  like  manner,  Tyre  was  not 
to  be  ruined  and  desolated  all  at  once.  Other  things  were 

*  We  may  behold  in  Tyre,  churches  built  to  the  honour  of 
Christ,  and  may  see  that  the  wealth  of  all  its  inhabitants  is  not 
lioarded  or  treasured  up,  but  given  to  them  who  dwell  before 

the  Lord. For  so  hath  the  Lord  appointed,  tliat  they  wiio 

preach  the  gospel,  should  live  b}  tlie  gospel.  See  .Terome  on 
Isa.  xxiii.  page  146,  Vol.  111.  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

t  See  Sandy's  Travels,  Book  III.  page  168,  sixth  edition, 
printed  in  16f0.     See  Hoffman's  Lexicon,  S;c. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  2x2 i 

to  happen  first.  It  was  to  be  restored  after  70  years;  it 
was  to  be  destroyed  and  restored  again,  in  order  to  its  be- 
ing adopted  into  the  church.  These  events  wet  e  to  take 
place,  before  Ezekiel's  prophet^es  could  be  fully  accom- 
plished:  xxvi.  3,  4,  5,  'Thus  saith  the  Lord  C^od,  Be- 
hold, I  am  against  thee,  O  Tyrus,  and  will  cause  many 
nations  to  come  up  against  thee,  as  the  sea  causeth  his 
waves  to  come  up :  And  they  shall  destroy  the  v»'alls  of 
Tyi'"s,  and  break  down  her  towers;  I  will  also  scrape  her 
dust  from  her,  and  make  her  like  the  top  of  a  rock  :  It 
shall  be  a  place  for  the  spreading  of  nets  in  the  midst  of 
the  sea  :  for  I  have  spoken  it.  saith  the  Lord  God.'  He 
repeats  it  to  show  the  certainty  of  it,  ver.  14.  '  I  will  make 
thee  like  the  top  of  a  rock  ;  thou  shalt  be  a  place  to  spread 
nets  upon  ;  thou  shalt  be  built  no  more ;  for  I  the  Lord 
hath  spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord  God  :'  and  again,  ver.  21. 
*  I  will  make  thee  a  terror,  and  thou  shalt  be  no  more : 
though  thou  be  sought  for,  yet  shalt  thou  never  be  found 
again,  saith  the  Lord  God.* 

These  prophecies,  like  most  others,  were  to  receive 
their  completion  by  degrees.  Nebuchadnezzar,  as  we 
have  seen,  destroyed  the  old  city  ;  and  Alexander  employ- 
ed the  ruins  and  rubbish  in  making  his  causey  from  the 
continent  to  the  island,  which  henceforwards  were  joined 
together.  '*  It  is  no  wonder  therefore,"  as  Bishop  Po- 
cock  *  observes,  "  that  there  are  no  signs  of  the  ancient 
city  ;  and  as  it  is  a  sandy  shore,  the  face  of  every  thing  is 
altered,  and  the  great  aqueduct  in  many  parts,  is  almost 
buried  in  the  sand,"  So  that  as  to  this  part  of  the  city, 
the  prophecy  hath  literally  been  fulfilled,  *  Thou  shalt  be 
built  no  more  ;  though  thou  be  sought  for,  yet  shalt  thou 
never  be  found  again.'  It  may  be  questioned,  whether  the 
new  city  ever  after  that,  arose  to  that  height  of  power, 
wealth,  and  greatness,  to  which  it  was  elevated  in  the 
times  of  Isaiah  and  Ezekiel.  It  received  a  great  blow 
from  Alexander,  not  only  by  his  taking  apd  burning  the 
city,  but  much moreby  his  buildingof  Alexandria  in  Egypt, 
which  in  time  deprived  it  of  much  of  its  trade,  and  there- 
by contributed  more  effectually  to  its  ruin.     It  had  the 

•  See  Pocock's  Description  of  the  East,  Vol.  II.  Book  I.  Chap. 
XX.  page  81,  82. 

2   T 


002  DISSEUTATIONS  ON 

misfortune  afterwards  of  changing  its  masters  often,  be- 
ing sometimes  in  the  hands  of  the  Ptolemies  kings  of 
Egypt,  and  sometimes  of  the  Selucidae  kings  of  Syria, 
till  at  length  it  fell  under  the  dominion  of  the  Romans. 
It  was  taken  by  the  Saracens  *  about  the  year  of  Christ 
639  in  the  reign  of  Omar  their  third  emperor.  It  was 
retaken  by  the  Christians,!  during  the  time  of  the  holy- 
war  in  the  year  1 124,  Baldwin  the  second  of  that  name, 
being  then  king  of  Jerusalem,  and  assisted  by  a  fleet  of 
the  Venetians.  From  the  Christians,  it  was  taken*  again 
in  the  year  1289,  by  the  Mamalucs  of  Kgypt,  under  their 
Sultan  Alphix,  who  sacked  and  razed  this  and  Sidon  and 
other  strong  towns,  that  they  might  not  ever  again  afford 
any  harbour  or  slielter  to  the  Christians  From  the  Ma- 
malucs, it  was  again  taken  §  in  the  year  15  16  by  Selim, 
the  ninth  emperor  of  the  Turks  ;  and  under  their  domi- 
nion it  continues  at  present.  But  alas,  how  fallen,  how 
chani^ed  from  what  it  was  formerly  I  For  from  being  the 
centre  of  trade,  frequented  by  all  the  merchant  ships  of 
the  east  and  west,  it  is  now  become  a  heap  of  ruins,  visit- 
ed only  by  the  boats  of  a  few  poor  fishermen.  So  that 
as  to  this  part  likewise  of  the  city,  the  prophecy  hath  li- 
terally been  fulfilled,  '  I  will  make  thee  like  the  top  of  a 
rock  ;  thou  shalt  be  a  place  to  spread  nets  upon. 

The  faiiious  Huetius||  knew  one  Hadrianus  Parvillci 

*  See  Ockley's  History  of  the  Saracens,  Vol  I.  pag-e  340. 

\  See  Abul-i'hraj ills'  History,  Dynasty  9.  pag-e  250.  See  Po- 
cock,  and  Savag-e's  Abridgment  of  Knolles  and  Rycaut,  Vol.  I. 
page  26. 

1:  See  Savage's  Abridgment,  Vol.  I.  page  95.  and  Pocock's  De- 
scription of  the  East,  Vol.  II.  Book  I.  Chap.  xx.  page  83. 

§  iiee  Savage's  Abridgments,  Vol.  I.  page  241. 

II  I  remember  to  liave  been  told  by  Hadrianus  Parvillerius,  a 
Jesuit,  a  man  greatly  distinguished  for  his  candour,  and  for  his 
skill  in  the  Arabic  language,  and  who  spent  ten  years  of  his  time 
in  Syria,  that  long  ago,  when  he  drew  near  to  the  fallen-down 
ruins  of  Tyre,  he  beheld  at  a  distance,  the  rocks  stretching  out 
towards  the  sea,  and  the  stones  scattered  in  different  directions 
upon  the  shore,  waslied  and  smoothed  by  the  sun,  the  waves  and 
the  wind,  and  only  \iseful  for  drying  the  fishermen's  nets,  which 
tlien  happened  to  be  spread  upon  them,  it  brought  to  his  recol- 
lection, these  words  of  the  prophet  E7.ekiel.  '  It  shall  be  a  place 
tor  the  spreading  of  nets  in  the  midst  of  the  sea,  for  1  have 
6pokcn  it.  saith  the  Lord  God. — And  I  will  make  thee  like  the 


THE  PROFHECIRS  22 J 

riiis,  a  Jesuit,  a  very  candid  man,  and  a  master  of  Arabic, 
who  resided  ten  years  in  Syria  :  and  he  remembers  to 
have  heard  him  sometimes  say,  that  when  he  approach- 
ed the  ruins  of  Tyre,  and  beheld  the  rocks  stretched  forth 
to  the  sea,  and  the  great  stones  scattered  up  and  down  on 
the  shore,  made  clean  and  smooth  by  the  sun  and  waves 
and  winds,  and  useful  only  for  the  dryinij  of  fishermen's 
nets,  many  of  which  happened  at  that  time  to  be  spread 
thereon,  it  brought  to  his  memory  this  prophecy  of  Eze- 
kiel  concerning-  Tyre;  xxvi.  5,  14.  'I  will  make  thee 
like  the  top  of  a  rock  ;  thou  shalt  be  a  place  to  spread  nets 
upon ;  thou  shalt  be  built  no  more;  for  I  the  Lord  have 
spoken  it,  saith  the  Lord  Ciod.' 

Dr.  Shaw*  in  his  account  of  Tyre,  thusexpresseth  him- 
self, "I  visited  several  creeks  and  inlets  in  order  to  dis- 
cover what  provision  there  might  have  been  formerly 
made  for  the  security  of  their  vessels.  Yet  notwithstand- 
ing, that  Tyre  was  the  chief  maritime  power  of  this 
country,  I  could  not  observe  the  least  token  of  either  co- 
t/ion or  harbour,  that  could  have  been  of  any  extraordina- 
ry capacity,  '{'he  coasting  ships  indeed  still  find  a  tole- 
rable good  shelter  from  the  northern  winds  under  the 
southern  shore,  but  are  obliged  immediately  to  retire, 
when  the  winds  change  to  the  west  or  south  ;  so  that 
there  must  have  been  some  better  station  than  this,  for 
their  security  and  reception.  In  the  N.  N.  E.  part  like- 
wise of  the  city,  we  see  the  traces  of  a  safe  and  commo- 
dious bason  lying  within  the  walls  ;  but  which  at  the  same 
time  is  very  small,  scarce  forty  yards  in  diameter.  Nei- 
ther could  it  ever  have  enjoyed  a  large  area,  unless  the 
buildings  which  now  circumscribe  it,  were  encroachments 
iipon  its  original  dimensions.  Yet  even  this  port,  small 
as  it  is  at  present,  is  notwithstanding,  so  choaked  up  with 
sand  and  rubbish,  that  the  boats  of  those  poor  fishermen, 
who  now  and  then  visit  this  once  renowned  emporium, 
can  with  great  difficulty  only  be  admitted." 

But  the  fullest  for  our  purpose  is  Mr.  Maundrell,whom 
it  is  a  pleasure  to  quote  as  well  as  to  read,  and  whose 

top  of  a  rock  ;  thou  shalt  be  a  place  to  spread  nets  upon  :  thou 
shalt  be  built  no  more  :  for  I  the  Lord  have  spoken^t,  saith  the 
Lord  God.'  See  Chap.  xxvi.  5,  14. 
•  See  Shaw's  Travels,  page  330. 


22 4.  DISSERTATIONS  ON, 

journal  of  his  journey  from  Aleppo  to  Jerusalem,  thougli 
a  little  book,  is  yet  worth  a  folio,  being  so  accurately  and 
ingeniously  written,  that  it  might  serve  as  a  model  for  all 
writers  of  travels.  "  I'his  city,  *  saith  lie,  standing  in 
the  sea  upon  a  peninsula,  promises  at  a  distance  some- 
thing very  magnificent.  But  when  you  come  to  it,  you 
find  no  similitude  of  that  glory,  for  which  it  was  so  re- 
nowned in  ancient  times,  and  which  the  prophet  Ezeki^ 
describes,  Chap.  26,  27,  28.  On  the  north  side,  it  has 
an  old  Turkish  ungarrisoned  castle;  besides  which  you 
see  nothing  here,  but  a  mere  Babel  of  broken  walls,  pil- 
lars, vaults,  &c.  there  being  not  so  much  as  one  entire 
house  left ;  its  present  inhabitants  are  only  a  few  poor 
wretches  harbouring  themselves  in  the  vaults,  and  sub- 
sistii^g  chieliy  upon  fishing,  who  seem  to  be  preserved  in 
this  place  by  divine  providence,  as  a  visible  argument, 
how  Ciod  hath  fulfilled  his  nerd  concerning  Tyre,  viz. 
that  it  should  be  afi  the  tofi  of  a  rock^a  place  for  fishers  to 
dry  their  nets  on.'*'' 

Such  hath  been  the  fate  of  this  city,  once  the  most  fa- 
mous in  the  world  for  trade  and  commerce.  But  trade 
is  a  fluctuating  thing  :  it  passed  from  Tyre  to  Alexandria, 
from  Alexandria  to  Venice,  from  V^enice  to  Antwerp,  from 
Antwerp  to  Amsterdam  and  London,  the  English  rival- 
ling the  Dutch,  as  the  French  are  now  rivalling  both. 
All  nations  almost  are  wisely  applying  themselves  to 
trade  ;  and  it  behoves  those  who  are  in  possession  of 
it,  to  take  the  greatest  care  that  they  do  not  lose  it.  It 
is  a  plant  of  tender  growth,  and  requires  sun  and  soil, 
and  fine  seasons,  to  make  it  thrive  and  floiirish.  It 
will  not  grow  like  the  palm-tree,  which  with  the  more 
Aveight  and  pressure  rises  the  more.  Liberty  is  a  friend 
to  that,  as  that  is  a  friend  to  liberty.  But  the  greatest 
enemy  to  both  is  licentiousness,  which  tramples  upon  all 
law  and  lawful  authority,  encourages  riots  and  tumults, 
promotes  drunkenness  and  debauchery,  sticks  at  nothing 
to  supply  its  extravagance,  practises  every  art  of  illicit 
gain,  ruins  credit,  ruins  trade,  and  will  in  the  end  ruin  li- 
berty itself.  Neither  kingdoms  nor  commonwealths,  nei- 
ther public  companies  nor  private  persons,  can  iDng  car- 
ry on  a  beneficial  flourishing  trade  without  virtue,  and 

»  See  Maundrcll,  pa^e  48,  49.  fif.h  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  225 

what  virtue  teacheth,  sobriety,  industry,  frugality,  modes- 
ty, honesty,  punctuality,  humanity,  charity,  the  love  of 
our  country,  and  tiie  fear  of  God.  The  prophets  will  in- 
form us  how  the  Tyrians  lost  it;  and  tlie  like  causes  will 
always  produce  the  like  eftects,  Isa.  xxiii.  8,  9.  *  Who 
hath  taken  this  counsel  against  Tyre,  the  crowning  city, 
A\  hose  merchants  are  princes,  whose  tiafiickers  are  the 
honourable  of  the  earth  ?  'I'he  Lord  of  hosts  hath  pur- 
posed it,  to  stain  the  pride  of  all  glory,  and  to  bring  into 
contempt  all  the  honourable  of  the  earth.'  Ezck.  xxvii. 
5,  i.  *  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God,  O  Tyrus,  thou  hast 
said,  I  am  of  perfect  beauty.  Thy  borders  are  in  the 
midst  of  the  seas,  thy  builders  have  perfected  thy  beauty.' 
xxviii.  5,  &c.  *  By  thy  great  wisdom,  and  by  thy  traffic 
hast  thou  increased  thy  riches,  and  thy  heart  is  lifted  up 
because  of  thy  riches.  By  the  multitucle  of  thy  merchan- 
dise, they  have  filled  the  midst  of  thee  with  violence,  and 
thou  hast  sinned;  therefore,  will  I  cast  thee  as  profane, 
out  of  the  mountain  of  God.  Thine  heart  was  lifted  up 
because  of  thy  beauty,  thou  hast  corrupted  thy  wisdom 
by  reason  of  thy  brightness.  Thou  hast  defiled  thy 
sanctuaries,  by  the  multitude  of  thine  iniquities,  by  the 
ini(iuity  of  thy  trafhc ;  therefore  will  I  bring  forth  a  fire 
from  the  midst  of  thee,  it  shali  devour  thee,  and  I  will 
bring  thee  to  ashes  upon  the  earth,  in  the  sight  of  all  them 
that  behold  thee.  All  they  that  know  thee  among  the 
people,  shall  be  astonished  at  thee  ;  thou  shaltbe  a  terror, 
and  never  shalt  thou  be  any  more.* 


XII. 

THE  "PUOPHECIES  CONCERNING  EGYPT. 

EGYPT  is  one  of  the  first  and  most  famous  countries 
that  we  read  of  in  history.  In  the  Hebrew  scriptures,  it  is 
c^Utd  Mi  zrai?n  and  f/ie  land  of  ff a  fn  ^hawing  htt^n  first  inha- 
bited after  the  deluge  by  Noah's  youngest  son  Ham  or 
J-Tammov^  and  by  his  son  Mizruhn.  The  name  of  F.gufit 
),3  of  more  uncertain  derivation.  It  appears  that  the  rivef 


826  DISSEUTATIOXS  OX 

was  so  called  in  Homer's*  time ;  and  from  thence,  as  He- 
sychius  imagines,  the  name  might  be  derived  to  the  coun- 
try. Others  more  probably  conceive,  that  the  meaning 
of  the  name  ^gyptiusf  is  am  Cuphti,  the  land  cf  Cuphti^ 
as  it  was  formerly  called  by  the  Egyptians  themselves, 
and  their  neighbours  the  Arabians.  Ail  agree  in  this, 
that  the  kingdom  of  Egypt  was  very  ancient ;  but  some 
have  carried  this  antiquity  to  an  extravai^ant  and  fabu- 
lous height,  their  dynasties  being  utterly  irreconcilable 
to  reason  and  history  both,  and  no  ways  lo  be  solved  or 
credited,  but  by  supposing  that  they  extend  beyond  the 
deluge,  and  that  they  contain  the  catalogues,  of  several 
contc*.,porary,  as  well  as  of  some  successive  kings  and 
kiniL,doms.  It  is  certain  that  in  the  days  of  Joseph,  if  not 
before  those  in  the  days  of  Abraham,  it  was  a  great  and 
flourishing  kingdom.  There  are  monuments  of  its  great- 
ness, yet  remainin,^  to  the  surprise  and  astonishment  of 
all  posterity,  of  which  as  we  know  not  the  time  of  their 
erection,  so  in  al!  probability  we  shall  never  know  the 
time  of  their  destruction. 

This  country  was  also  celebrated  for  its  wisdom,  no 
less  than  for  its  antiquity.  It  was,  as  I  may  call  it,  the 
great  academy  of  the  earlier  ages.  Hither  the  wits  and 
sages  of  Greece,  and  other  countries  repaired,  and  imbib- 
ed their  learning  at  this  fountain.  It  is  mentioned  to  the 
commendation  of  Moses,  Acts  vii,  22.  that  he  *  was  learn* 
ed  in  all  the  wisdom  of  the  Egyptians  :*  and  the  highest 
character  given  of  Solomon's  wisdom,  1  Kings  iv.  30.  is, 
that  it '  excelled  all  the  wisdom  of  the  children'of  the  east 
country,  and  all  the  wisdom  of  Egypt.'  But  with  this 
wisdom,  and  this  greatness,  it  was  early  corrupted  ;  and 
was  as  much  the  parent  of  superstition,  as  it  was  the  mis- 

*  *  On  the  fifth  day  we  came  lo  the  beautifully  flowing  Egypt, 
and  I  equipped  in  the  rivei-  F.g-vpt,  vessels  rowed  on  both  sides.' 
bee  Homer's  Odyssey,  Book  XIV.    Lines  257,  258. 

The  fifth  fair  morn  we  stem  the  Egyptian  tide. 

And  tilting  o'er  the  bay,  the  vessels  ride.  See  Pope's  Trans- 
lation. 

Hesychlus  saith,  that  Egypt  is  the  river  Nile,  and  ber.ce  tlie 
country  by  later  writers,  hath  been  called  Egypt. 

t  See  Mede's  Works,  Book  I.  Discourse  50,  page  281.  See 
also  Hoffman's  Lexicon. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  227 

iress  of  learning  ;  and  the  one  as  well  as  the  other,  were 
from  thence  propagated  and  diftnscd  over  other  countries. 
It  was  indeed  the  grand  corrupter  of  the  world,  the 
source  of  polytheism  and  idolatry,  to  several  of  the  east- 
ern, and  to  most  of  the  more  western  nations  ;  and  dege- 
nerated at  last  to  such  monstrous  and  beastly  worship, 
that  we  shall  scarcely  find  a  parallel  in  all  history. 

However,  this  was  the  country,  where  the  children  of 
Israel,  were  in  a  manner  born  and  bred  ;  and  it  must  be 
said,  they  were  much  perverted  by  their  education,  and 
retained  a  fondness  for  the  idols  of  Egypt  ever  afterwards. 
Sieveral  of  Moses*  laws  and  institutions,  were  plainly  cal- 
culated to  wean  them  from,  and  to  guard  them  against 
the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Egyptians.  But  still  in 
their  hearts  and  aflfections,  they  were  much  inclined  to 
return  into  Egypt.  Even  Solomon  married  his  wife  from 
thence.  And  upon  all  occasions  they  courted  the  friend- 
ship and  alliance  of  Egypt,  rather  than  of  any  of  the 
neighbouring  powers.  Which  prejudice  of  theirs  was 
the  more  extraordinary,  as  the  Egyptians  generally  treat- 
ed them  very  injuriously.  They  oppressed  them  with 
most  cruel  servitude  in  Egypt.  They  gave  them  leave 
to  depart,  and  then  pursued  them  as  fugitives.  Shishak 
king  of  Egypt,  came  up  against  Jerusalem,  1  Kings,  xiv. 
25,  26.  and  plundered  it.  And  in  all  their  leagues  and 
alliances,  Egypt  was  to  them  as  '  a  broken  reed,'  Isaiah 
xxxvi.  6. '  whereon  if  a  man  lean,  it  will  go  into  his  hand, 
and  pierce  it.'  Upon  all  these  accounts,  we  might  rea- 
sonably expect  that  Egypt  would  be  the  subject  of  several 
prophecies,  and  ue  shall  not  be  deceived  in  our  expecta- 
tion. 

It  is  remarkable,  that  the  prophecies  uttered  against 
any  city  or  country,  often  carry  the  inscription  of  the  bur- 
den of  that  city  or  country.  The  prophecies  against  Ni- 
neveh, Babylon,  and  Tyre,  were  inscribed  Nahum  i.  1. 
'the  burden  of  Nineveh,'  Isa.  xiii.  1.  'the  burden  of  Ba- 
bylon, isa.  xxiii.  1.  'the  burden  of  Tyre:*  and  so  here 
likewise,  Isaiah  xix.  1.  the  prophecies  against  Egypt 
have  the  title  of  'the  burden  of  Egypt.*  And  by  bur- 
den  is  commonly  understood  a  threatening  burden,  some 
prophecy,  big  with  rum  and  destruction,  which  like 
a  dead  weight  is  hung  upon  a  city  or  country,  to  sink  it. 


228  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

But  the  word  in  the  ori,qinal,  is  of  more  general  import 
and  signification.  Sometimes  it  signifies  a  prophecy  at 
large  :  as  the  prophecies  of  Habakkuk  and  Malachi  are 
entitled  '  the  burden  which  Habakkuk  the  prophet  did  see, 
and  the  burden  of  the  word  of  the  Lord  to  Israel  by  Ma- 
lachi :'  and  it  is  rendered  a  vision  or  /irophecy,  in  the  Sep- 
tuagint,  and  other  ancient  versions.  Sometimes  it  signi- 
fies a  prophecy  of  good  as  well  as  of  evil :  as  it  was  said 
of  the  false  prophets,  who  prophecied  peace  when  there 
was  no  peace,  Lament,  ii.  14.  *  Thy  prophets  have  seen 
vain  and  foolish  things  for  thee,  they  have  seen  for  thee 
false  burdens;*  and  Zechariah*s  prophecy  of  the  restora- 
tion and  triumphs  of  the  Jews  in  the  latter  days  is  enti- 
tled, Zech.  xii.  1.  'the  burden  of  the  word  of  the  Lord 
for  Israel.'  Sometimes  it  is  translated  a  /irofihecy,  where 
there  is  no  prophecy,  but  only  some  grave  moral  sayings 
or  sentences,  as  Prov.  xxx.  1.  *  the  words  of  Agur  the 
son  of  Jakeh,  even  the  prophecy  ;'  and  again,  Prov.  xxxi. 
1.  '  The  words  of  king  Lemuel,  the  prophecy  that  his 
mother  taught  him.'  We  may  farther  observe  that  the 
word  is  used  of  the  author  of  prophecy,  as  well  as  the 
subject  of  it :  and  there  is  '  the  burden  of  the  Lord,  and 
the  burden  of  the  word  of  the  Lord,  as  iveltas  the  burden 
of  Babylon,  and  the  burden  of  Egypt.'  We  may  be  cer- 
tain too,  that  this  title  was  affixed  to  the  prophecies  by 
the  prophets  themselves,  and  not  by  the  scribes  who  col- 
lected their  writings  afterwards,  because  it  appears  from 
Jeremiah,  xxiii.  33,  Sec.  that  the  scoffers  and  infidels  of 
his  time  made  a  jest  and  derision  of  it;  and  therefore  they 
are  forbidden  to  mention  it  any  more,  as  being  a  term  of 
ambiguous  signification  ;  and  instead  of  inquiring  '  what 
is  the  burden  of  the  Lord,'  they  are  commanded  to  say, 
*  what  hath  the  Lord  answered  ?  and  what  hath  the  Lord 
spoken?'  The  word  *  in  the  original,  is  derived  from  a 
verb  that  signifies  to  take  up,  to  lift  up,  to  bring  forth, 
and  the  like;  and  the  proper  meaningof  it  is  any  weighty 
important  matter  or  sentence,  which  ought  not  to  lie  ne- 
glected, but  is  worthy  of  being  carried  in  the  memory, 

•  The  Hebrew  word  Masha,  a  burden,  is  derived  from  Nasha, 
which  signifies,  he  carried,  lie  took  up,  he  lifted  up,  he  brought 
forth.    See  Buxtorfs  Lexicon. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  '22^ 

and  deserves  to  be  lifted  up  and  uttered  with  emphasis. 
Such,  eminently  such,  are  all  these  prophecies,  and 
those  relating  to  Egypt  as  well  as  tlie  rest.  For  they 
comprise  the  principal  revolutions  of  that  kingdom  from 
Uie  times  of  the  prophets  to  this  day. 

I.  The  first  great  revolution  that  we  shall  mention, 
was  the  conquest  of  this  kingdom  by  Nebuchadnezzar, 
%vhich  was  particularly  foretold  by  Jeremiah  and  EzekieJ. 
These  two  prophets  have  both  employed  several  sections 
or  chapters  upon  this  occasion.  Jeremiah  was  carried 
into  Egypt,  and  there  foretold,  Chap,  xliii,  the  conquest 
of  Egypt  by  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon:  and  some 
of  his  prophecies  are  entitled,  xlvi.  13.  '  The  word  that 
the  Lord  spake  to  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  how  Nebuchad- 
nezzar king  of  Babylon  should  come  and  smite  the  land 
of  Egypt.'  Ezekiel  also  declares,  xxx.  10,  11.  'Thus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  I  will  also  make  the  multitude  of 
Egypt,  to  cease  by  the  hand  of  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of 
Babylon.  He  and  his  people  with  him,  the  terrible  of 
the  nations  shall  be  brought  to  destroy  the  land  ;  and 
they  shall  draAV  their  swords  against  Egypt,  and  fill  the 
land  with  the  slain  :*  and  the  conquest  of  this  kingdom 
WHS  promised  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  as  a  reward  for  his 
services  against  Tyre,  which  after  a  long  siege  he  took 
and  destroyed,  but  was  disappointed  of  the  spoil,  as  was 
observed  in  the  foregoing  dissertation  ;  Ezek.  xxix.  18, 
19.  ^  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon,  caused  hin 
army  to  serve  a  great  service  against  Tyrus  :  every  head 
was  made  bald,  and  every  shoulder  was  peeled  :  yet  had 
he  no  wages,  nor  his  army  for  Tyrus,  for  the  service 
that  he  had  served  against  it.  Therefore  thus  saith  the 
Lord  God,  Behold,  I  will  give  the  land  of  Egypt  unto 
Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon,  and  he  shall  take  her 
multitude,  and  take  her  spoil,  and  take  her  prey,  and  it 
shall  be  the  wages  for  his  army,' 

Now  for  this  early  transaction  we  have  the  testimo- 
nies* of  Magasthenes  and  Berosus,  two  heathen  histori- 

*  *  For  they  say,  that  he  (Nebuchadnezzar)  reduced  into  his 
obedience  a  great  part  of  Africa.'  See  MegaKthencs  in  Jose- 
phus'  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  xi.  Sect.  1.  in  Hudson'.'; 
edition.     *  But  Nebucliadnezzar,  not  lonj^  after,  having  heard 

VOL.    I.  U 


230  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ans,  ^vho  lived  about  300  years  before  Christ,  one  of 
-vvhom  affirms  expressly,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  conquered 
the  greatest  part  of  Africa,  and  the  other  affirms  it  in 
effect,  in  saying,  that  when  Nebuchadnezzar  heard  of 
the  death  of  his  father,  having-  settled  his  affairs  in  Egypt, 
and  committed  the  captives  whom  he  took  in  Egypt  to 
the  care  of  some  of  his  friends  to  bring  them  after  him, 
he  hasted  directly  to  Babylon.  If  neither  Herodotus  nor 
Diodorus  Siculus,  have  recorded  this  transaction,  what 
Scaliger*  said  of  one  of  them  may  be  very  justly  applied 
lo  both,  that  those  Egyptian  priests,  who  informed  them 
of  the  Egyptian  affairs,  taught  them  only  those  things 
which  made  for  the  honour  of  their  nation ;  other  particu- 
lars of  their  idleness,  servitude,  and  the  tribute  which 
they  paid  to  the  Chaldeans  they  concealed.  Josephus, 
we  may  presume,  had  good  authorities,  and  was  support- 
ed by  earlier  historians,  when  he  f  asserted,  that  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, having  subdued  Coelo-Syria,  waged  war 
against  the  Ammonites  and  Moabites  ;  and  having  con- 
quered them,  he  invaded  Egypt,  and  slew  the  king  who 
then  reigned,  and  appointed  another. 

It  is  indeed  most  highly  probable,  that  Apries  was  de- 
throned, and  Amasis  constituted  king  by  Nebuchadnez- 
zar ;  and  I  think,  we  may  infer  much  from  Herodotus 
himself.  The  name  of  the  king  of  Egypt,  at  that  time, 
according   to  Jeremiah,  was   Pharaoh- Hophra^    and  he 

of  the  death  of  his  father,  and  having  set  in  order  his  affairs  in 
Egypt,  &c.*  See  Berosus  as  quoted  by  the  same  author.  Sea 
also  Eusebius*  Evangelical  Preparation,  Book  IX.  Chap,  xl, 
und  xli. 

*  AVhat  is  plainly  related  by  Jeremiah,  Herodotus  was  igno- 
j'ant  of.  For  these  Egyptian  priests,  who  answered  his  ques- 
tions concerning  the  affairs  of  Egypt,  candidly  told  him,  that 
they  only  made  mention  of  these  things,  which  tended  to  the 
honour  of  their  nation,  but  that  they  concealed  every  thing  re- 
lating to  their  idleness,  their  servitude,  or  the  tribute  which 
they  paid  to  the  Chaldeans.    See  Scaliger's  Fragments,  page  11. 

f  '  He  (Nebucliadnczzar)  invaded  Calo-Syria,  and  having 
made  himself  master  of  it,  he  fought  against  the  Ammonites 
and  Moabites.  When  he  had  reduced  these  nations  under  liis 
power,  he  made  an  incursion  into  Egypt.  There  he  slew  the 
reigning  king,  and  appointed  another.'  See  Josephus'  .fewish 
Antiquities,  Book  X.  Sect.  9.  page  454,  in  Hudson's  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  251 

ciin  be  none  other  than  the  Afiries  of  Herodotus.  Eze- 
kiel  represents  him  as  an  arrogant  impious  prince,  xxix. 
3.  as  '  the  great  dragon  or  crocodile  that  lieth  in  the 
midst  of  his  rivers,  which  hath  said,  My  river  is  my  own, 
antl  I  have  made  it  for  myself:'  and  agreeably  hereto  * 
Herodotus  informs  us,  that  Apries  proudly  and  wick- 
edly boasted,  of  having  established  his  kingdom  so  sure- 
ly, that  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  any  god  to  dispossess 
him  of  it.  However  Jeremiah  foretold,  that  he  should 
be  taken  and  slain  by  his  enemies,  xliv.  30.  '  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,  Behold,  1  will  give  Fhaiaoh-Hophraking 
of  Egypt  into  the  hand  of  his  enemies,  and  into  the  hand 
of  them  that  seek  his  life,  as  I  gave  Zedckiah  king  of 
Judah  into  the  hand  of  Nebuchadnezzar  king  of  Babylon, 
his  enemy,  and  that  sought  his  life :'  and  accordingly 
Apriest  was  taken  and  strangled  by  Amasis,  who  was  by 
Nebuchadnezzar  constituted  king  in  his  room, 

Ezekiel  foretold,  that  the  country  should  be  desolated 
forty  years,  and  the  people  carried  captive  into  other 
countries:  xxix.  12.  '  I  will  make  the  land  of  Egypt 
desolate  in  the  midst  of  the  countries  that  are  desolate, 
and  her  cities  among  the  cities  that  are  laid  waste,  shall 
be  desolate  forty  years  j  and  I  will  scatter  the  Egyptians 
among  the  nations,  and  will  disperse  them  through  the 
countries.'  We  cannot  prove  indeed  from  heathen  au- 
thors, that  this  desolation  of  the  country  continued  ex- 
actly forty  years,  though  it  is  likely  enough  that  this,  as 
well  as  the  other  conquered  countries  did  not  shake  oft* 
the  Babylonian  yoke  till  the  time  of  Cyrus,  which  was 
about  forty  years  after  the  conquest  of  Egypt  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar: but  we   are  assured  by  Berosus,t  that  Ne- 

*  It  is  reported,  that  Apries  was  fully  persuaded,  that  no  one 
of  the  gods  was  able  to  put  an  end  to  his  kingdom,  as  it  seeiu» 
ed  to  him  to  be  so  firmlv  established.  See  Herodotus,  Book 
n.  Sect.  169,  in  (bale's  edition. 

f  See  Herodotus  in  the  place  above  quoted.  See  Diodonis 
Siculus,  IJook  I.  page  43,  in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  62, 
in  that  of  llhodomanus. 

^  Berosus  as  quoted  by  Josephus,  Book  X.  Chap.  xl.  Sect.  1. 
page  459,  in  Hudson's  edition,  saith,  *  that  having  joined  the 
ligyptian  prisoners,  with  those  whom  he  had  taken  irom  other 
nations,  their  (Eg-yptian)  allies,  he  sent  them  to  Buijylon,' 


232  DISSEllTATIOKS  ON 

buchadnezzar  took  several  captives  in  Egypt,  and  carried 
them  to  Babylon ;  and  from  Megasthenes*  we  learn, 
that  he  transplanted  and  settled  others  in  Pontus.  So 
true  it  is,  that  they  were  '  scattered  among  the  nations, 
and  dispersed  through  the  countries,'  and  might  upon 
the  dissolution  of  the  Babylonian  empire  return  to  their 
native  country. 

II.  Not  long  after  this  was  another  memorable  revolu- 
tion, and  the  country  was  invaded  and  subdued  by  Cam- 
byses  and  the  Persians,  which  is  the  main  subject  of  the 
19th  chapter  of  Isaiah.  Son)e  parts  indeed  of  this  pro- 
phecy have  a  near  affinity  with  those  of  Jeremiah  and 
Ezekiel,  concerning  the  conquest  of  Egypt  by  Nebu- 
chadnezzar, and  St.  Jerome  and  others  apply  it  to  Ne- 
buchadnezzar:  but  this  prophecy,  as  well  as  several 
others,  might  admit  of  a  double  completion,  and  be  ful- 
filled at  both  those  periods.  For  this  prophecy  of  Isaiah, 
is  a  general  representation  of  the  calamities  of  the  na- 
tion ;  it  includes  various  particulars ;  it  is  applicable^  to 
Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Babylonians,  as  well  as  to  Cam- 
byses  and  the  Persians.  They  might  therefore  be  both 
intended  and  comprehended  in  it :  but  tlie  latter,  I  con- 
ceive, were  principally  intended,  and  for  this  reasoa ; 
because  the  deliverance  of  the  Egyptians  by  some  great 
conqueror,  and  their  conversion  afterwards  to  tli€  true 
religion,  which  are  foretold  in  the  latter  part  of  this  chap- 
ter, were  events  consequent  to  the  dominion  of  the  Per- 
sians, and  not  to  that  of  the  Babylonians. 

The  prophet  begins  with  declaring,  that  the  conquest 
of  Egypt  should  be  swift  and  sudden,  and  that  the  idols 
of  Egypt  should  be  destroyed;  ver.  1.  *  Behold  the  Lord 
ridcth  upon  a  swift  cloud,  and  shall  come  into  Egypt, 
and  the  idols  of  Egypt  shall  be  moved  at  his  presence, 
and  the  heart  of  Egypt  shall  melt  in  the  midst  of  it.* — 
The  same  thing  is  foretold  of  Nebuchadnezzar  by  Jere- 
miah, xliii.  11,  Sec.  *  And  when  he  cometh  he  shall 
smite  the  land  of  Egypt — And  I  will  kindle  a  fire  in  the 
houses  of  the  gods  of  Egypt,  and  he   shall  burn  them, 

*  *  He  c.iused  a  colony  of  them  to  be  settled  on  the  right 
hand  side  of  Pontus.  See  Megasthenes  in  Eusebius,  in  tlie 
place  above  quoted,  Chap.  xli.  page  456,  in  Vigerus'  edition. 


THE    PROPHECIES.  233 

and  carry  them  away  captives — He  shall  break  also  the 
images  of  Bethshemesh,  that  is  in  the  land  of  Egypt;  and 
the  houses  of  the  gods  of  the  Egypiians  shall  he  burn 
with  hre:*  and  again  by  Ezekiel,  xxx.  13.  '  Thus  saith 
the  Lord  God,  I  will  also  destroy  the  idols,  and  I  will 
cause  their  images  to  cease  out  of  Noph,'  or  Memphis. 
We  are  not  furnished  with  ancient  authors  sufficient  to 
prove  these  particulars  (however  probable)  in  the  history 
of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Babylonians ;  but  we  have 
ample  proois,  with  relation  to  Cambyses  and  the  Persians. 
The  first  attempt  made  by  Cambyses  was  upon  Pelusium,* 
a  strong  town  at  the  entrance  of  Egypt,  and  the  key  of 
the  kingdom  ;  and  he  succeeded  by  the  stratagem  of 
placing  before  his  army  a  great  number  of  dogs,  sheep, 
cats,  and  other  ani!nals,  who  being  held  sacred  by  the 
Egyptians,  not  one  of  them  would  casta  javelin,  or  shoot 
an  arrow  that  way  ;  and  so  the  town  was  stormed  and 
taken  in  a  manner  without  resistance.  Met  treated  the 
gods  of  Egypt,  with  marvellous  contempt,  laughed  at  the 
people,  and  chastised  the  priests  for  worshipping  such 
deities.  He  slew  Apis,  or  the  sacred  ox,  which  the  Egyp- 
tians worshipped,  with  his  own  hand  ;  and  i)ur!it  and  de- 
molished their  other  idols  and  temples  ;  and  v/ould  like- 
wise, if  he  had  not  been  prevented,  have  destroyed  the 
famous  temple  of  Jupiter  Hammon.  Ochus  too,  who  was 
another  king  of  Persia,  and  subdued  the  Egyptians  again 
after  they  had  revolted,*  plundered  their  temples,  and 
caused  Apis  to  be  slain  and  served  up  in  a  banc;uet  to  him 
and  his  friends. 

The  prophet  foretels,  that  they  should  also  be  misera- 
bly distracted  with  civil  wars;  ver.  2.  '  And  I  will  set 
the  Egyptians  against  the  Egyptians  ;  and  they  shall  fight 

•  See  Polyjenus'  Stratagems,  Book  VII.  Chap.  is.  page  620,  in 
Maasvicius'  edition. 

f  See  Herodotus,  Book  HI.  Sect.  27,  &c.  page  172,  and  Sect. 
37,  &c.  pa^e  176,  in  Gale's  edition.  See  Stiabo,  Book  XVH. 
page  805,  in  the  Paris  edition,  and  page  1158,  m  the  Amsterdam 
edition  of  1707-  See  Justin,  Book  1.  Chap.  ix.  page  29,  in  Grx- 
vius'  edition. 

4:  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XVI.  page  537,  in  Stephanus' 
edition,  and  page  448  of  Vol.  2.  in  the  edition  of  Rhodomanus. 
See  Plutarch  upon  Isis  and  Osiris,  page  355,  in  the  Paris  edition 
cfl62i. 

u  2 


234  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

every  one  against  his  brother,  and  every  one  against  his 
neighbour,  city  against  city,  and  kingdom  against  king- 
dom ;'  iiGJnos  epi  nomon  as  the  Seventy  translate  it,  pro- 
vince against  province,  Egypt  being  divided  into  nomoi^ 
prefectures  or  provinces.  Vitringa  and  others  apply  this 
to  the  time  of  the  dodtkarchia  *  or  the  reign  of  the  twelve 
kings,  the  anarchy  that  preceded,  and  the  civil  wars  that 
ensued,  wherein  the  genius  and  fortune  of  Psammitichus 
prevailed  over  the  rest.  But  it  may  perhaps  be  more 
properly  applied  to  what  agrees  better  in  point  of  time, 
with  other  parts  of  the  prophecy,  f  the  civil  wars  between 
Apries  and  Amasis,  at  the  time  of  Nebuchadnezzar's  in- 
vasion, and  the  %  civil  wars  between  Tachos,  Nectanebus, 
and  the  Mendesian,  a  little  before  the  country  was  finally 
subdued  by  Ochus. 

It  is  no  wonder,  that  in  such  distractions  and  distresses 
as  these,  the  Egyptians  being  naturally  a  cowardly  peo- 
ple, should  be  destitute  oi  counsel^  and  that '  the  spirit  of 
Egypt  should  fail  in  the  midst  thereof,'  as  the  prophet 
foretels  :  ver.  3.  and  that  being  also  a  very  superstitious 
people,  '  they  should  seek  to  the  idols,  and  to  the  charm- 
ers, and  to  thepti  that  have  familiar  spirits,  and  to  the  wi- 
zards.' But  their  divination  was  all  in  vain  :  it  was  their 
fate  to  be  subdued  and  oppressed  by  cruel  lords  and  ty- 
rants ;  ver.  4.  '  And  the  Egyptians  will  I  give  over  into 
the  hand  of  a  cruel  lord  ;  and  a  fierce  king  shall  rule  over 
them,saith  the  Eord,  the  Lord  of  hosts.'  This  is  the  most 
essential  part  of  the  prophecy ;  and  this  Grotius  and 
others  understand  of  Psammitichus  ;  but  it  doth  not  ap- 
pear from  history,  that  Psammitichus  was  such  ?i  fierce 
and  cruel  tyrant ;  on  the  contrary  he  §  re-established  the 

*  See  Herodotus,  Book  II.  Sect.  147 — 154,  page  146 — 150,  in 
Gale's  edition.  See  Biodorus  Siculus,  Book  1.  page  41,  &c.  in 
Stephanas'  edition,  and  page  59,  &.c.  Vol.  I,  in  that  of  Rhodo- 
xnanus. 

f  See  Herodotus,  Book  II.  Sect.  169,  page  155,  in  Gale's  edi- 
lion.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  1  pag-e  43,  in  Stephanus'  edi- 
tion, and  page  62,  Vol.  I.  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

\  See  Plutarch's  life  of  Ag-esilaus.  Sec  Diodorus  Siculus, 
Book  XV.  page  506,  in  Stephanus'  edition,  and  page  390,  &c. 
Vol.  2,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

§  See  Herodotus,  Book  II.  Sect.  153—157.  page  150.  151.  in 
Gale's  edition.    See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  1.  page  42,  in  Ste- 


THE  PROPHECIES.  255 

government,  and  reigned  long  and  prosperously  for  Egypt 
in  many  respects.  It  may'with  greater  truth  and  proprie- 
ty, be  understood  of  Nebuchadnezzar  and  the  Babylonians, 
whose  dominion  was  very  grievous  to  the  conquered  na- 
tions :  but  with  the  greatest  propriety  and  justice,  it  may 
be  applied  to  the  Persians,  and  especially  to  Cambyses 
and  Ochus  ;  one  of  whom  put  the  yoke  upon  the  neck  of 
the  Egyptians,  and  the  other  rivetted  it  there  ;  and  who 
are  both  branded  in  history  for  cruel  tyrants  and  mon- 
sters of  men.  Tlie  Egyptians  said  that  Cambyses,  after 
his  killing  of  Apis,  was  stricken  with  madness ;  but  his 
actions,  saith  Dr.  Prideaux  *  after  Herodotus,  showed  him 
to  have  been  mad  long  before.  He  could  hardly  have 
performed  these  great  exploits,  if  he  had  been  a  dowa- 
right  madman  :  and  yet  it  is  certain,  that  he  was  very 
much  like  one  ;  there  was  a  mixture  of  barbarity  and 
madness  in  ail  his  behaviour.  Ochus  was  the  crudest 
and  worst  of  all  the  kings  of  Persia,  and  was  so  destruc- 
tive and  oppressive  to  Egypt  in  particular,  that  his  favour- 
ite eunuch  Bagoas,  f  who  was  an  Egyptian,  in  revenge  of 
his  injured  country,  poisoned  him.  The  favours  shown 
to  himself  could  not  compensate  for  the  wrongs  done  to 
his  country.  None  other  allegation  is  wanting  to  prove, 
that  the  Persian  yoke  was  galling  and  intolerable  to  the 
Egyptians,  than  their  frequent  revolts  and  rebellions, 
which  served  st'U  but  to  augment  their  misery,  and  en- 
slave them  more  and  more. 

The  prophet  then  proceeds  to  set  forth  in  figurative 
language,  ver.  5 — 10.  the  consequences  of  this  subjection 
and  slavery,  the  poverty  and  want,  the  mourning  and  la- 
mentation, the  confusion  and  misery,  which  should  be 
entailed  on  both  them  and  their  posterity  ;  and  afterwards 

phanus'  edition,  and  page  60.  Vol.  I.  in  that  of  Rliodomanus. 
See  also  Marsham's  Clironicle,  a.^e  XVIIT.  pag-e  505. 

*  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  lU.  year  525,  and 
5  of  Cambyses.  See  Herodotus,  Book  HI.  Sect.  30.  page  173,  in 
Gale's  edition.  *  But  Cambyses  (as  tiie  Egyptians  say,)  on  ac- 
count of  this  wickedness,  was  immediately  stricken  with  mad- 
ness, but  before  that,  he  was  not  in  bis  right  senses.* 

t  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XVI.  page  564,  in  Stephanus* 
edition,  and  490,  of  Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Rhodomanus.  See  Aelian's 
Various  history.  Book  VJ  Chap.  viii. 


236  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

he  recounts  ver.  11 — 17.  the  immediate  causes  of  these 
evils,  the  folly  of  the  princes  and  rulers  who  valued  thera- 
selves  upon  their  wisdom,  and  the  cowardice,  and  effemi- 
nacy of  the  people  in  general.  These  things  will  plainly 
appear  to  any  one,  by  perusing  the  history  of  the  nation, 
but  it  would  carry  us  beyond  ail  bounds,  to  prove  them 
by  an  induction  of  particulars.  In  general  it  may  be  said, 
that  Egypt  would  not  have  become  a  prey  to  so  many 
foreign  enemies,  but  through  the  excessive  weakness  of 
the  Egyptians,  both  in  counsel  and  in  action.  They  had 
not  the  courage  even  to  defend  themselves.  They  trusted 
chiefly  to  their  Grecian  and  other  mercenaries,  who  in- 
stead of  defending,  were  often  the  first  to  betray  them. 

III.  The  next  memorable  revolution  was  effected  by 
Alexander  the  Great,  who  subverted  the  Persian  empire 
in  Egypt,  as  well  as  in  all  other  places ;  and  this  event,  I 
entirely  agree  with  Vitringa,  is  pointed  out  to  us  in  this 
same  1 9th  chapter  of  Isaiah.  It  is  also  foretold,  that 
about  the  same  time  several  of  the  Egyptians  should  be 
converted  to  the  true  religion,  and  the  worship  of  the  God 
of  Israel.  And  as  these  events,  which  are  the  subjects  of 
t'ne  latter  part  of  the  chapter,  ver.  18 — 25.  followed  upon 
the  subversion  of  the  Persian  e  rtpire ;  we  may  be  satisfied, 
that  our  application  of  the  former  part  of  the  chapter  to 
the  Persians  in  particular,  was  not  a  misapplication  of  the 
prophecy.  In  that  clay,  that  is,  after  that  day,  after  that 
tinie,  as  the  phrase  signifies,  and  should  be  translated  in 
several  passages  of  the  prophets,  '  shall  five  cities  in  the 
land  of  Egypt  speak  the  language  of  Canaan,'  profess  the 
religion  of  the  Hebrews  ;  as  in  Zephaniah  iii'.  9.  *  I  will 
turn  to  the  people  a  pure  language,'  signifies,  I  will  re- 
store to  the  people  a  pure  religion,  *  that  they  may  all 
call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord,  to  serve  him  with  one 
consent.  And  swear  to  the  Lord  of  hosts  :  one  shall  be 
called  the  city  of  destruction,'  or  of  the  sun,  as  it  is  in  the 
margin  of  our  bibles,  meaning  Heliopolis,  a  famous  city 
in  Egypt,  '  In  that  day  shall  there  be  an  altar  to  the  Lord, 
in  the  midst  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  a  pillar  at  the  bor- 
der thereof  to  the  Lord,'  such  as  Jacob  erected,  Gep. 
xxviii.  IS.  at  Lethel.  '  And  it  shall  be  for  a  sign,  and  for 
a  witness  unto  the  Lord  because  of  the  oppressors,  and  he 
shall  send  them  a  saviour  and  a  great  one,  and  he  shall 


THE  PROPHECIES.  237 

deliver  them.  And  the  Lord  shall  be  known  to  Egypt, 
and  the  Eijyptians  shall  know  the  Lord  in  that  day,  and 
shall  do  sacrifice  and  oblation,  yea,  they  shall  vow  a  vow 
unto  the  Lord,  and  perform  it.'  The  propliet  describes 
the  worship  of  future  times,  according  to  the  rites  and 
ceremonies  of  his  own  time.  '  And  the  Lord  shall  smite 
Egypt,  he  shall  smite  and  heal  it,  and  they  shall  return 
even  to  the  Lord,  and  he  shall  be  intreated  of  them,  and 
shall  heal  them.'  The  pi'ophet  then  proceeds  tp  show, 
that  Assyria  or  Syria  in  Egypt,  which  used  to  be  at  great 
enmity  with  each  other,  shall  be  united  in  the  same  wor- 
ship by  the  intermediation  of  Israel,  and  they  three  shall 
be  a  blessing  in  the  earth.  *  In  that  day  shall  there  be  a 
high  way  out  of  Egypt  to  Assyria,  and  the  Assyrian  shall 
come  into  Egypt,  and  the  Egyptian  into  Assyria,  and  the 
Egyptians  shall  serve  with  the  Assyrians.  In  that  day 
shall  Israel  be  the  third  with  Egypt,  and  with  Assyria, 
even  a  blessing  in  the  midst  of  the  land  :  Whom  the 
Lord  of  hosts  shall  bles.s,  saying,  Blessed  be  Egypt  my 
people,  and  Assyria  the  work  of  my  hands,  aiid  Israel 
mine  inheritance.* 

Here  is  clearly  foretold,  that  a  great  prince,  a  saviour 
aent  by  God^  from  a  foreign  country,  should  deliver  the 
Egyptians  from  their  Persian  op.Jiressors^  and  heal  their 
country,  \vhich  was  smitten  of  God  and  afiiicted  :  and  who 
could  this  be,  but  Alexander,  who  is  always  distinguish- 
ed by  the  name  of  Alexander  the  grtat^  and  whose  first 
successor  in  Egypt  was  called  the  great  Ptolemy,  and  Pto- 
lemy Soter  or  the  saviour  ?  Upon  Alexander's  first  com- 
ing into  Egypt,  the  people  *  all  cheerfully  submitted  to 
him  out  of  hatfed  to  the  Persians,  so  that  he  became 
master  of  the  country  without  any  opposition.  For  this 
reason,  he  treated  them  v/ilh  humanity  and  kindness, 
built  a  city  there,  which  after  his  own  name  he  called 
Alexandria,  appointed  oneof  their  own  country  for  their 
civil  governor,  and  permitted  them  to  be  governed  by 
their  own  laws  and  customs.     By  these  changes  and  re- 

*  See  Diodorus  Sicukis,  Book  XVII.  p.ig-e  588,  In  Stepbanus' 
edition,  and  pup:e  526,'of  Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Rhodomanus.  See 
Arrian,  Rook  lit.  Chap,  i,  8cc.  See  Quintiis  Cuvtius,  Book  lY. 
Cliap.  vii.  and  viii. 


23S  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

gulations.  and  by  the  prudent  and  gentle  administration 
of  some  of  the  first  Ptolemies,  Egypt  revived,  trade  and 
learning  nourished,  and  for  a  while  peace  and  plenty 
blessed  the  land. 

But  it  is  more  largely  foretold,  that  about  the  same 
time  the  true  religion  and  the  worship  of  the  God  of  Is- 
rael, should  begin  to  spread  and  prevail  in  the  land  of 
Egypt :  and  what  event  was  ever  more  unlikely  to  hap- 
pen, than  the  conversion  of  a  people  so  sunk  and  lost  in 
superstition  and  idolatry  of  the  worst  and  grossest  kind? 
It  is  certain  that  many  of  the  Jews>  after  Nebuchadnezzar 
had  taken  Jerusalem,  fled  into  Egypt,  and  carried  along 
with  them  Jeremiah  the  prophet,  Jer.  xliii.  he.  who  there 
tittered  most  of  his  prophecies,  concerning  the  conquest 
of  Egypt  by  Nebuchadnezzar.  From  thence  some  know- 
ledge of  God,  and  some  notice  of  the  prophecies  might 
easily  be  derived  to  the  Egyptians.  It  is  said  that  this 
alteration  should  be  effected  principally  in  Jive  cities.  If 
a  certain  number  be  not  here  put  for  an  uncertain,  I 
should  conclude  with  Le  Clerc,  *  that  the  ^/ive  cities, 
wherein  the  worship  of  the  one  true  God  was  received, 
were  Heliopolisy  which  is  particularly  named  in  the  text, 
and  the  four  others,  which  are  mentioned  in  Jeremiah, 
xliv.  1.  as  the  places  of  the  residence  of  the  Jews,  Migdol 
or  Magdolus,  Tahjianhes^  or  Daphne,  JVofih  or  Memphis, 

*  'If  one  might  form  a  conjecture,  concerning  the  names  of  five 
(four)  other  cities,  I  would  say  that  they  are  these  mentioned  by 
Jeremiah  in  Chup.  xliv.  1.  namely  Migdol,  called  by  Herodotus, 
Magdolus,  Tahpanhes,  called  by  the  same  author  Daphne,  Noph, 
or  Alemphis,  and  the  fourth,  in  the  country  of  Pathros,  or  Pa- 
thyrisjthe  name  of  which  is  not  mentioned,  perhaps  Ammon — No, 
orDiospolis.  In  these  cities  dwelt  the  Jews,  who  through  fear  of 
the  Chaldeans,  migrated  into  Egypt,  and  who  forced  Jeremiah 
to  accompany  them  thither.  Although  these  men  were  very 
wicked  in  general,  on  which  account,  the  prophet  denounced 
against  them  very  heavy  calamities,  yet  amongst  them  there 
might  be  a  few  godly  men,  who  made  known  to  the  Egyptians 
liis  predictions.  And  these  last,  when  they  saw  them  accom- 
plished, embraced  the  Jewish  religion.  This  however  is  not  to 
he  understood  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  these  places,  but  only  of 
some.  For  that  is  a  sullicient  reason,  why  mention  should  be 
juude  of  five  cities,  that  were  to  speak  the  language  of  Canaan, 
and  to  swear  by  the  name  of  Jehovah.  See  his  Commentary  on 
the  passage. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  239 

and  the  fourth  in  the  country  of  Pat  fir  os  or  Thebais,  not 
mentioned  by  name,  perhaps  Ammon — No,  or  Diospolis. 
There  the  Jews  chiefly  resided  at  that  time  :  and  though 
they  were  generally  very  wicked  men,  and  disobedient  to 
ilie  word  of  the  Lord,  and  upon  that  account  the  prophet 
Jeremiah  denounced  the  heaviest  judgments  against 
them  :  yet  some  good  men  might  be  mingled  among 
them,  who  might  open  his  prophecies  to  the  Egyptians, 
and  they  themselves,  when  they  saw  them  fuh'illed,  might 
embrace  the  Jewish  religion.  But  this  is  to  be  under- 
stood not  of  all  the  inhabitants  of  those  places,  but  only 
of  some;  which  is  sufficient  to  justify  the  expression  of 
'  five  cities  speaking  the  language  of  Canaan,  and  swear- 
ing by  the  Lord  of  hosts.' 

Alexander  the  Great  *  transplanted  many  of  the  Jews 
into  his  new  city  of  Alexandria,  and  allowed  them  privi- 
leges and  immunities,  equal  to  those  of  the  Macedonians 
themselves.  Ptolemy  Soter  f  carried  more  of  them  into 
Egypt,  who  there  enjoyed  such  advantages,  that  not  a  few 
of  the  other  Jews  went  thither  of  their  own  accord  ;  the 
goodness  of  the  country,  and  the  liberality  of  Ptolemy,  al- 
luring them.  Ptolemy  Philadelphusjt  redeemed  and  releas- 
ed the  captive  Jews  :  and  in  his  reign,  or  his  father's,  the 
books  of  Moses  were  translated  into  Greek,  and  after- 
wards the  other  parts  of  the  Old  Testament.  The  third 
Ptolemy,  §  called  Euergetes,  having  subdued  all  Syria, 
did  not  sacrifice  to  the  gods  of  Egypt,  in  acknowledgment 
of  his  victory  ;  but  coming  to  Jerusalem,  made  his  obla- 
tions to  God,  after  the  manner  of  the  Jews  ;  and  the  king's 
example,  no  doubt,  would  influence  many  of  his  subjects. 
The  sixth  Ptolemy,  I|  called  Philoraetor,  and  his  queen 

*  See  Jewish  wars.  Book  H.  Chap,  xvlii.  Sect.  7.  page  1098. 
See  his  work  against  Apion,  Book  l\  Sect.  4.  page  1364,  in 
Hudson's  edition. 

t  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  XII.  Chap.  i.  page  508.  See 
Hecatxus  in  Josephus.  See  him  against  Apion,  Book  I.  Sect. 
22.  page  1347,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

t  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  XII.  Chap.  ii.  page  508.  See 
liim  against  Apion,  Sect.  4.  page  1365,  in  Hudson's  edition.  See 
Hody  on  the  Greek  version,  Book  H.  Ch.ap.  ii. 

§  See  Josephus  against  Apion,  Book  H,  Sect.  5.  page  1365,  in 
Hudson's  edition. 

tj  See  Josephus  against  Apion  in  the  same  place.    See  his  An- 


240  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Cleopatra  committed  the  whole  management  of  the  king- 
dom to  two  Jews,  Onias  and  Dositheus,  who  were  their 
chief  ministers  and  generals,  and  had  the  principal  direc- 
tion of  all  aftairs  both  civil  and  military.  This  Onias  ob- 
tained a  license  from  the  king  and  queen  to  build  a  tem- 
ple for  the  Jews  of  Egypt  like  that  at  Jerusalem,  alleging 
for  this  purpose  this  very  prophecy  of  Isaiah,  that  there 
should  'be  an  altar  to  the  Lord  in  the  midst  of  the  land 
of  Egypt :'  and  the  king  and  queen  in  their  rescript,  make 
honourable  mention  of  the  lav/  and  of  the  prophet  Isaiah, 
and  express  a  dread  of  sinning  against  God.  The  place 
chosen  for  the  building  of  this  temple,  was  in  the  prefec- 
ture of  Heliopolis  or  iht  city  of  the  sun^  which  place  is 
likewise  mentioned  in  the  prophecy.  It  was  built  after 
the  model  of  the  temple  at  Jerusalem,  but  not  so  sump- 
tuous and  magnificent.  He  himself  was  made  high  priest ; 
other  priests  and  Levites  were  appointed  for  the  minis- 
tration ;  and  divine  service  was  daily  performed  there,  in 
the  same  manner  as  at  Jerusalem,  and  continued  as  long  ; 
for  Vespasian,  having  destroyed  the  temple  at  Jerusalem, 
ordered  this  also  to  be  demolished. 

By  these  means  the  Lord  must  in  som.e  degree  *  have 
been  known  to  Egypt,  and  the  Egyptians  must  have 
known  the  Lord  :'  and  without  doubt  there  must  have 
been  many  proselytes  among  them.  Among  those  who 
came  up  to  the  feast  of  Pentecost,  Acts  ii.  10.  there  are 
particularly  mentioned  '  the  dwellers  in  Egypt,  and  in  the 
parts  of  Lybia  about  Cyrene,  Jews  and  proselytes.'  Nay, 
from  the  instance  of  Candace's  eunuch,  Acts.viii.  27.  we 
may  infer  that  there  were  proselytes,  even  beyond  Egypt, 
in  Ethiopia.  Thus  were  the  Jews  settled  and  encour- 
aged in  Egypt,  insomuch  that  Philo  *  represents  their 
number  as  not  less 'than  a  hundred  myriads,  or  ten  hun- 
dred thousand  men.  Nor  were  they  less  favoured  or  re- 
warded for  their  services,  by  the  kings  of  Syria.     Seleu- 

tiquitles,  Book  XIII  Chap.  iii.  page  562.  Sec  his  Jewish  wars. 
Book  1.  Chap.  i.  Sect.  1.  page  958!  Book  VJI.  Chap.  x.  Sect.  2. 
page  1325,  in  Hudson'^  edition. 

•  *  They  were  not  sliortof  a  hundred  myriads. '  See  him  against 
Flaccus,  page  9/1,  in  the  Varisediiion  o'f  1640. 


iiiE  rnoriiECiES.  241 

c;us  Nicator  *  made  them  free  of  the  cities,  which  he  built 
in  Asia  and  the  lower  Syria,  and  of  Antioch  itself  the  ca- 
pital of  his  kingdom  ;  and  granted  the  same  rights  and 
privileges  to  them,  as  to  the  Greeks  and  Macedonians. 
Antiochus  the  Great, -j-  published  several  decrees  in  fa- 
vour of  the  Jews,  both  of  those  who  inhabited  Jerusalem, 
and  of  those  who  dwelt  in  Mesopotamia  and  Babylonia. 
Josephus  \  saith,  that  the  Jews  gained  more  proselytes  at 
Antioch.  And  thus  by  the  means  of  the  Jews  and  pro- 
selytes dwelling  in  Egypt  and  Syria,  Israel,  Egypt  and 
Syria  were  in  some  measure  united  in  the  same  worship. 
But  this  was  more  fully  accomplished,  when  these  coun- 
tries became  Christian,  and  so  were  made  members  of 
the  same  body  in  Christ  Jesus.  And  we  piously  hope  and 
believe,  that  it  will  still  receive  its  most  perfect  comple- 
tion in  the  latter  days,  when  Mohammedism  shall  be 
rooted  out,  and  Christianity  shall  again  flourish  in  these 
countries,  when  ^  the  fulness  of  the  Gentiles  shall  come 
in,  and  all  Israel  shall  be  saved.' 

IV.  But  there  is  a  remarkable  prophecy  of  Ezekiel, 
Avhich  comprehends  in  little,  the  fate  of  Egypt,  from  the 
days  of  Nebuchadnezzar  to  the  present.  For  therein  it 
is  foretold,  that  after  the  desolation  of  the  land,  and  the 
captivity  of  the  people  by  Nebuchadnezzar,  xxix.  14,  15. 
it  '  sliould  be  a  base  kingdom  :  It  shall  be  the  basest  of 
the  kingdoms,  neither  shall  it  exalt  itself  any  more  above 
the  nations  ;  for  I  will  diminish  them,  that  they  shall  no 
more  rule  over  the  nations :'  and  again  in  the  next  chap- 
ter, ver.  12,  13.  *  I  will  sell  the  land  into  the  hand  of  the 
Avicked,  and  I  will  make  the  land  waste,  and  all  that  is 
therein,  by  the  hand  of  strangers  :  and  there  shall  be  no 
more  a  prince  of  the  land  of  Egypt.'  Such  general  pro- 
phecies, like  general  rules,  are  not  to  be  understood  so 
strictly  absolute,  as  if  they  could  not  possibly  admit  of 
any  kind  of  limitation  or  exception  whatever.  It  is  suffi- 
cient if  they  hold  good  for  the  most  part,  and  are  confirm- 
ed by  the  experience  of  many  ages,  though  perhaps  not 

*  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  XII.  Chap.  iii.  page  519,  iti 
Hudson's  edition. 

f  See  the  same  place  of  Josephus. 

t  See  hiB  Jewish  wars,  Book  VII.  Chap.  iii.  Sect.  3.  page  1290, 
in  Hudson's  edition. 

VOL.  I  X 


24,2  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

without  an  exception  of  a  few  years.  The  prophets  ex- 
hibit a  i^cneral  view  of  things,  without  entering  into  the 
particular  exceptions.  It  was  predicted,  Gen.  ix.  25.  that 
'  Canaan  should  be  a  servant  of  servants  unto  his  brethren ;' 
and  generally  his  posterity  were  subjected  to  the  descend- 
ants of  his  brethren  ;  but  yet  they  were  not  always  so  : 
upon  some  occasions  they  were  superior ;  and  Hannibal 
;^.nd  the  Carthaginians  obtained  several  victories  over  the 
Romans,  though  tliey  were  totally  subdued  at  last.  In 
like  manner,  it  was  not  intended  by  this  prophecy,  that 
Egypt  should  ever  afterwards,  in  every  point  of  time,  but 
only  that  it  should  for  much  the  greater  part  of  time,  be 
a  base  kini{dom^  be  tributary  and  subject  to  strangers. 
This  is  the  purport  and  meaning  of  the  prophecy  ;  and 
the  truth  of  it  will  best  appear  by  a  short  deduction  of  the 
history  of  Egypt,  from  that  time  to  this. 

Amasis  was  left  king  by  Nebuchadnezzar  ;  and  as  he 
field  his  crown  by  the  periiission  and  allowance  of  the  Ba- 
bylonians, there  is  no  room  to  doubt  that  he  paid  them 
tribute  for  it.  Berosus,  the  Chaldean  historian,*  in  a 
fragment  preserved  by  Josephus,  sptaketh  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's reducing  Egypt  to  his  obedience,  and  afterwards 
of  his  settling  the  affairs  of  the  country,  and  carrying  cap- 
tives from  thence  to  Babylon,  By  his  constituting  and 
settling  the  affairs  of  Egypt,  nothing  less  could  be  meant 
than  his  appointing  the  governors,  and  the  tribute  that 
they  should  pay  to  him;  and  by  carrying  some  Egyp- 
tians captive  to  Babylon,  he  plainly  intended  not  only  to 
weaken  the  country,  but  also  to  have  them  as  hostages  to 
secure  the  obedience  of  the  rest,  and  the  payment  of  their 
tribute.  If  Herodotus  had  given  no  account  of  these 
transactions,  the  reason  is  evident,  according  to  the  obser- 
vation cited  before  from  Scaliger :  the  Egyptian  priests 
would  not  inform  him  of  things,  which  were  for  the  dis- 
credit of  their  nation.  However  we  may,  I  think,  confirm 
the  truth  of  this  assertion  even  by  Herodotus'  own  narra- 
tion.    The  Persians  succeeded  in  the  right  of  the  Baby- 

*  *  And  having  settled  his  aflTuh'S  in  Eg-ypt,  and  in  the  rest  of 
the  country,  he  sent  the  prisoners  which  he  hud  taken  therein, 
to  Babylon.  See  Josephus'  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  xi.  SeeL 
1.  paje  459,  in  Hudson's  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  243 

lonians  :  and  it  appears*  by  Cyrus'  sending  for  the  best 
physician  in  Egypt  to  Amasis,  who  was  obliged  to  force 
one  from  his  wife  and  children  ;  and  by  Cambyses'  de- 
manding the  daughter  of  Amasis,  not  for  a  wife  but  for  a 
mistress ;  by  these  instances,  I  say,  it  appears  that  they 
considered  them  as  their  tributaries  and  subjects.  And  in- 
deed no  reason  can  be  assigned  for  the  strong  resent- 
ment of  the  Persians  against  Amasis,  and  t]u:ir  horrid 
barbarity  to  his  dead  body,  so  probable  and  satisfactory, 
as  his  having  revolted  and  rebelled  against  them.  Hero- 
dotus himself  t  mentions  the  league  and  alliance,  which 
Amasis  made  with  Croesus  king  of  Lydia  against  Cyrus. 
Upon  the  ruins  of  the  Babylonian  empire  Cyrus  erect- 
ed the  Persian.  Xenophon  hath  written  the  life  of  this 
extraordinary  man  :  and  he  affirm s,t  both  in  the  intro- 
duction and  near  the  conclusion  of  his  history,  that  Cyrus 
also  conquered  Egypt,  and  made  it  part  of  his  empire  ; 
and  there  is  not  a  more  faithful,  as  well  as  a  more  ele- 
gant historian  than  Xenophon.  But  whether  Cyrus  did 
or  not,  it  is  universally  allowed  that  his  son  Cambyses  (s 
did  conquer  Egypt,  and  deprive  Psammenitus  of  his 
crown,  to  which  he  had  newly  succeeded  upon  the  death 
of  his  father  Amasis.  Cauibyses  purposed  to  have  made 
Psammenitus  administrator  of  the  kingdom  under  him, 
as  it  was  the  custom  of  the  Persians  to  do  to  the  conquer- 
ed princes  :  but  Psammenitus  forming  schemes  to  recov- 
er the  kingdom,  and  being  convicted  thereof,  was  forced 
to  drink  bull's  blood,  and  thereby  put  an  end  to  his  life. 
The  Egyptians  groaned  under  the  yoke  near  forty  years. 
Then  they  revolted,!!  towards  the  latter  end  of  the  reign 
of  Darius,  the  son  of  Hystaspis  :  but  his  son  and  succes- 
sor Xerxes,  in  the  second  year  of  his  reign,  subdued  them 
again,  and  reduced  them  to  a  worse  coiiditiou  of  servi- 
tude than  they  had  been  in  under  Darius,  and  appointed 

*  See  Herodotus,  Book  lU.  Sect.  1.  page  161,  in  Gale's  edi- 
tion. 

f  See  Herodotus,  IJook  I.  Sect.  77  page  ?yl',  in  Gale's  edition, 

%  See  Xenophon*s  Cyropredia,  Book  !.  pag-e  2^  Book  YHf.  pag^ 
127,  in  Henry  Stephens'  edition  of  15r^:I. 

%  See  Herodotus,  Book  HI.  Sect.  10 — 15.  page  164 — 167,  in 
Gale's  edition. 

II  See  Herodotus,  Book  Yll.  Sect.  1,  and  7.  page  382,  and  584, 
in  Gale's  edition. 


244i  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

his  brother  Achxmenes  governor  of  Egypt.  About  four 
and  twenty  years  after  this,  when  *  the  Egyptians  heard 
of  the  troubles  in  Persia,  about  the  succession  to  th« 
throne  after  the  death  of  Xerxes,  they  revolted  again  at 
the  instigation  of  Inarus  king  of  Lybia ;  and  havhig  drove 
away  the  Persian  tribute-collectors,  they  constituted  Ina- 
rus their  king.  Six  years  were  euQployed  in  reducing 
ihem  to  obedience,  and  ail  Egypt  submitted  again  to  the 
king  Artaxerxes  Longimanus,  except  Amyrtaeus  who 
reigned  in  the  fens,  whither  the  Persians  could  not  ap- 
proach to  take  him  :  but  Inarus,  the  author  of  these  evils, 
was  betrayed  to  the  Persians,  and  was  crucified.  However 
they  t  permitted  his  son  Thannyra  to  succeed  his  father 
in  the  kingdom  of  Lybia  ;  and  Egypt  continued  in  sub- 
jection all  the  remaining  part  of  the  long  reign  of  Artax- 
erxes. In  the  ±  tenth  year  of  Darius  Nothus  they  revok- 
ed again  under  the  conduct  of  Aniyrtxus,  who  sailed  out 
of  the  fens,  drove  the  Persians  out  of  Egypt,  made  him- 
self master  of  the  country,  and  reigned  there  six  years; 
but  his  son  Pausiris,$  as  Herodotus  informs  us,  succeeded 
him  in  his  kingdom  by  the  favour  of  the  Persians;  this 
argues  that  the  Persians  had  again  subdued  Egypt,  or  at 
least  that  the  king  was  not  established  without  their  con- 
sent and  approbation.  It  is  certain,  that  after  this,  Egypt 
gave  much  trouble  to  the  Persians.  Artaxerxes  Mnemon|j 
made  several  efforts  to  re-conquer  it,  but  all  in  vain.  It  was 
not  totally  and  finally  subdued  till  the  ninth  ^  year  of  the 

*  See  Thucydldes,  Book  I.  Sect.  104— 110.  pa^e  57—60,  m 
Hudson's  edition.  See  Diodorous  Siculu.s,  JJook  XI.  page  279, 
in  Stephanas'  edition,  and  page  54,  &.c.  of  Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Rho- 
domanus. 

t  See  Herodotus,  Book  III.  Sect.  15.  pag-e  167.  in  Gale's  edi- 
tion. 

t  See  Etisebius'  Chronicle.  See  Usher's  Annals,  year  of  ilic 
norld  3590,  page  146.  See  Prideaux*  Connections,  Part  I.  ]5ook 
\  1.  year  414. 

§  See  Herodotus,  Book  III.  Sect.  15,  in  tlie  same  place. 

Ij  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XV.  page  478,  in  Sttphanns' 
edition,  and  pag-e  357,  &c.  of  Vol.  11.  in  that  oilihodomanu.«. 

If  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XVI.  page  5373  i'^  the  edition 
of  Stephanas,  page  448,  of  Vol.  H.  In  that  of  Ilhodomaniis.  See 
Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  VII.  and  }eiU  330.  See 
Usher's  Annals,  year  of  the  world  3654. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  245 

Mlowlnij;  reign  of  Ochus.  about  3  50  years  before  Chn>»t  ; 
when  Nectanebus  the  hist  kinj^  fied  into  Elhiopici,  and 
Ochus  became  absolute  master  of  the  country,  and  liav- 
ing  appointed  one  of  his  nol)it's,  named  Fherendates,  lo 
be  his  viceroy  and  [governor  of  Ej^ypt,  he  returned  with 
p:reat  t>lory,  and  iinmense  treasures  to  Babylon.  E.t^ypt 
from  that  time  liath  never  l)een  able  to  recover  its  liber- 
ties. It  hath  always  been  subject  to  straniijers.  It  hath 
never  been  g;oveined  by  a  king  of  its  own.  From  this 
last  revolt  of  the  Egyptians  in  the  tenth  year  of  Darius 
Nothus,  to  their  total  subjugation  in  the  ninlh  year  of 
Ochus,  I  think  there  are  computed  sixty-four  years  ;  and 
this  is  the  only  exception  of  any  significance  to  the  gene- 
ral truth  of  the  prophecy.  But  what  are  sixty-four  years, 
compared  to  two  thousand,  three  hundred  and  twenty-five.'' 
for  so  many  years  have  passed  from  the  con-^uest  of 
Egypt  by  Nebuchadnezzar  to  this  time.  They  are  really 
as  notliing,  and  not  worth  mentioning  in  comparison  :  and 
during  these  sixty-four  years,  we  see,  that  the  Egyptians 
were  not  entirely  independent  of  the  Persians;  Paiisiris 
succeeded  his  father  Amyrtxus  in  the  kingdom  by  their 
consent  and  favour  ;  and  during  the  rest  of  the  time  the 
Egyptians  lived  in  continual  fear  and  dread  of  the  Persi- 
ans, and  were  either  at  war  with  them,  or  with  one  ano- 
ther. And  perhaps  this  part  of  the  prophecy,  was  not  in- 
tended to  take  effect  immediately:  its  completion  might 
be  designed  to  commence  from  this  period,  when  the 
Persians  had  totally  subdued  Egypt,  and  then  there 
should  'be  no  more  a  prince  of  the  land  of  Egypt." 

After  the  Persians,  Egypt  came  into  the  hands  of  tlie 
ISIacedonians.  It  submitted  to  Alexander  the  Great, 
v.'ithout  striking  a  stroke  ;  made  no  attempts  at  that  fa- 
vourable juncture  to  recover  its  liberties,  but  was  content 
only  to  change  its  master.  After  the  death  of  Alexander, 
it  fe  !  to  the  share  of  Ptolemy  one  of  his  four  famous 
captains,  and  was  governed  by  his  family  for  several  ge- 
nerations. The  two  or  three  first  of  the  Ptolemies  were 
^vise  and  potent  princes,  but  most  of  the  rest  were  prodi- 
gies of  luxury  and  wickedness.     It  is  Strabo's  *  observa- 

*  'All  af.er  the  third  Ptolemy,  governed   the  stale  Tory  ill^ 
being  debauched  by  luxury;  but  of  all,  the  worst  were  the  fourth. 
X  2 


246  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

tion,  that  all,  after  the  third  Ptolemy,  governed  very  ill, 
being  corrupted  by  luxury  ;  but  they  who  governed  worst 
of  all  were  the  fourth,  and  the  seventh,  and  the  last  called 
Auletes.  The  persons  here  intended  by  Strabo,  were  * 
Ptolemy  Philopater  or  the  lover  of  his  father^  so  called 
(as  Justin  conceives,)  by  way  of  antiphrasis,  or  with  a  con- 
trary meaning,  because  he  was  a  parricide,  and  murdered 
both  his  father  and  his  mother  ;  and  Ptolemy  Physcon  \ 
or  the  big-bellied,  who  aiiectcd  the  title  of  Eiiergetea  or 
the  benefactor^  but  the  Alexandrians  more  justly  named 
him  Kakergetes  or  the  malefactor  ;  and  Ptolemy  Auletes? 
or  the  fii/ier^  so  denominated  because  he  spent  much  of 
his  time  in  playing  on  the  pipe,  and  used  to  contend  for 
the  prize  in  the  public  shows.  This  kingdom  of  the  Ma- 
cedonians §  continued  from  the  death  of  Alexander  294 
years,  and  ended  in  the  famous  Cleopatra,  of  whom  it  is 
not  easy  to  say,  whether  she  excelled  more  in  beauty,  or 
wit,  or  wickedness. 

After  the  Macedonians,  Egypt  fell  under  the  dominion 
of  the  Romans.  The  Romans  had  either  by  virtue  of  trea- 
ties, or  by  force  of  arms  obtained  great  authority  there, 
and  were  in  a  manner  arbiters  of  the  kingdom  before,  but 
after  the  death  of  Cleopatra, jj  Octavius  Csesar  reduced  it 
into  the  form  of  a  Roman  province,  and  appointed  Corne- 
lius Gallus,  the  friend  of  Virgil,  to  whom  the  tenth  ec- 
logue is  inscribed,  the  first  prefect  or  governor :  and  so  it 

»ntl  seventh,  and  last,  called  Auletes.'  See  Strabo,  Book  XVTI. 
page  796,  in  the  Paris  edition,  and  page  1146,  in  the  Amster- 
dam edition  of  1707. 

*  See  Justin,  Book  XXIX.  Chap.  T.  Sect.  5.  page  466,  in  Grx- 
yius'  edition.  '  Ptolemy  had  gotten  possession  of  Egypt  by  slay- 
ing his  father  and  mother.  He  had  the  simame  of  Philopater, 
by  way  of  irony  given  to  him,  that  is,  the  lover  of  his  father.* 

f  See  Athenseus,  Book  XII.  page  549,  in  Causabon's  edition. 

■^  See  Strabo  in  the  same  place. 

§  See  the  Stromata  of  Clement  of  Alexandria,  Book  I.  page 
143,  in  the  Sylburgh  edition,  and  page  396,  in  Potter's  edition. — 
See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  ]I.  Book  VIII.  }ear  30,  and  8 
of  Herod. 

II  See  Strabo,  Book  XVII.  page  797,  and  819,  in  the  Paris 
edition,  and  page  1147,  and  1175,  in  the  Amsterdam  edition  of 
5707.  See  Dion  Cassius,  Book  LI.  page  455.  in  Leunclavius* 
«<lition. 


Tflfcl  PUOPflEClES.  24r 

aoniinued  to  be  governed  by  a  prefect  or  viceroy  sent  fiotn 
Rome,  and  from  Constantinople,  wben  after  tbe  division 
of  the  Roman  empire,  it  fell  to  tbe  share  of  the  eastern 
emperors.  It  was  first  made  a  province  of  the  Roman 
empire  in  the  year  *  30  before  Christ,  and  in  this  state  it 
remained  without  much  variation  till  the  year  6-1 1  after 
Christ,  that  is  670  years  in  the  whole,  from  the  reign  of 
Augustus  Caesar,  to  that  of  the  emperor  Heraclius.  ^ 

Then  it  was  that  the  Saracensf  in  the  reign  of  Omar 
their  third  emperor,  and  under  the  command  of  Amrou 
the  son  of  Aas,  invaded  and  conquered  Egypt,  took  Mis- 
rah  (formerly  Memphis,  now  Cairo)  by  sto^  m,  and  also 
Alexandria,  after  they  had  besieged  it  fourteen  months, 
and  had  lost  twenty-three  thousand  men  before  it :  and 
the  rest  of  the  kingdom  soon  followed  the  fortune  of  the 
capital  cities,  and  submitted  to  the  conqueror.  There 
is  one  thing  which  was  effected  partly  in  the  v.ars  of  the 
Romans,  and  partly  by  the  Saracens,  and  which  no  lover 
of  learning  can  pass  over  without  lamentation  ;  and  that 
is,  the  destruction  of  the  library  at  Alexandria.  This 
famous  library  was  founded  by  the  first  Ptolemies,  and 
was  so  much  eularged  and  improved  by  their  successors, 
that  it  amounted  t  to  the  number  of  seven  hundred  thou- 
sand volumes.  It  consisted  of  two  parts,§  one  in  that 
quarter  of  the  city  called  Baruchion,  containing  four 
hundred  thousand  volumes,  and  the  other  within  the  Se- 

rapeum,  containing  three  hundred  thousand  volumes . 

It  happened,  that  v.'hile  Julius  Cicsar  was  making  war 
upon  the  inhabitants  of  Alexandria,  1i  the  library  in  Ba- 
ruchion, together  with  other  buildings  was  burnt,  and  the 

*  See  Usher,  Prideaux,  and  others,  vmder  that  year. 

f  See  Elmacinus'  History  of  the  Saracens,  Book  I.  page  2o, 
24.  See  Abul-Pharajius'  History,  I>yT\.  9.  pag-e  112,  Pocock's 
version.  See  Ocklev's  History  of  the  Saracens,  Vol.  I.  page 
344. 

4:  See  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Book  XXil.  Chap.  xvi.  page 
343,  in  Valesiiis'  edition  of  1681,  and  tlie  note  of  Valesius  on 
tbe  passage.     See  Aldus  Gellius,  Book  VJ.  Chap.  xvii. 

§  See  Epipbanius  on  measuits  and  weights.  Vol.  11.  page  168, 
in  Petravius'  edition,  printed  at  Paris  in  1622.  See  Chryso- 
stoni's  iirsl  oration  against  the  Jews,  page  595.  Vol.  I.  in  the 
Benedictine  edition. 

'%  See  Plutarch's  life  of  Julias  C?esar,  Vol.  I.  page  731,  in  the 


248  DISSEUTATiONS  ON 

four  hundred  thousand  voUmies*  which  was  kept  tiiei  C'- 
in  were  all  consumed.  But  this  loss  was  in  son^e  mea- 
sure repaired  by  the  Pergamean  library,!  consisting  oi 
two  hundred  thousand  volumes,  which  Antony  presented 
to  Cleopatra,  and  by  the  addition  ot  other  books  after- 
wards,* so  that  this  latter  library  was  reckoned  as  nuine- 
rous  and  as  famous  as  the  other  ever  was;  and  it  came 
to  the  same  fatal  end,  this  being  also  destroyed  by  fire. 
For  John  the  Grammarian,^  a  famous  philosopher  of 
Alexandria,  being  in  great  favour  with  Amrou,  the  Sara- 
cen general,  asked  of  him  the  royal  library.  Amrou  re- 
plied, that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  give  it  him,  without 
leave  first  obtained  from  the  emperor  of  the  faithful. — 
Amrou  therefore  wrote  to  Omar,  and  acquainted  him 
with  John's  petition,  to  which  the  caliph  returned  this 
.answer;  that  if  what  was  contained  in  those  books,  was 
agreeable  to  the  book  of  God  or  the  Koran,  the  Koran 
Avas  sufficient  without  tbem  ;  but  if  it  was  repugnant  to 
the  Koran,  it  was  no  ways  useful ;  and  therefore  he  com- 
manded them  to  l)e  destroyed.  Amrou  in  obedience  to 
the  caliph's  commands,  ordered  them  to  be  distributed 
among  the  baths  of  the  city,  and  to  be  burnt  in  warming 
them,  whereof  there  were  no  fewer  at  that  time  in  Alex- 
andria than  four  thousand  :  and  yet  there  passed  six 
months  before  the  books  were  all  consumed  ;  which  suf- 
ficiently evinces  how  great  their  number  was,  and  what 
an  inestimable  loss  not  only  Egypt,  but  all  the  learned 
•world  hath  sustained.  Egypt  before  this  ^[  was  frequent- 
Paris  edition  of  1624.  See  Dion  Cassias,  Book  XLII.  page  203, 
iii  Leunclavius'  edition. 

*  See  Seneca  on  the  tranquillity  of  the  mind,  Chap,  ix.  Vol.  I. 
page  362,  edition  varior.  See  Oroslus'  history,  Book  \l.  Chap. 
XV.  page  421,  in  Havercamp's  edition. 

f  See  Plutarch's  life  of  Antony,  Vol.  I.  page  94,  In  the  Paris 
edition  of  1624. 

t  See  TertuUian's  Apology,  Chap,  xviii.  page  18,  in  Rlgaut's 
edition  of  1675. 

§  See  Abul-Pharajius'  liistory,  ninth  Dynasty,  page  114,  Po- 
coek's  translation.  See  Dckley's  history,  of  the  Saracens,  Vol. 
1.  page  359,  ix.c  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  II.  Book  L 
year  284,  and  first  of  Ptolemy  Philadelpiius- 

1[  Sulijnmianus  Marcellinus,  Bof-jk  XXH.  Chap.  xvi.  page  344, 
£tc.  in  Vrdcsius'  edition  at  Paris  of  1681. 


TflE  PROPHECIES.  249 

ed  by  learned  foreigners  lor  the  sake  of  this  library,  and 
produced  several  learned  natives ;  but  after  this  it  be- 
came more  and  more  a  base  kingdom^  and  sunk  into 
g;reater  ignorance  and  superstition.  Mohammedism  was 
now  established  there  instead  of  Christianity,  and  the 
government  of  the  Caliphs  and  Sultans  continued  till 
about  the  year  of  Christ  1250. 

About  that  time  it  was  that  the  Mamalucs*  usurped 
the  royal  authority.  The  word  in  general,!  signifies  a 
slave  bought  with  money,  but  it  is  appropriated  in  par- 
ticular to  those  Turkish  and  Circassian  slaves,  whom  the 
Sultans  of  Egypt  bought  very  young,  trained  up  in  mili- 
tary exercises,  and  so  made  them  their  choicest  officers 
and  soldiers,  and  by  them  controlled  their  subjects,  and 
subdued  their  enemies.  These  slaves  perceiving  how 
necessary  and  useful  they  were,  grew  at  length  insolent 
and  audacious,  slew  their  sovereigns,  and  usurped  the 
government  to  themselves.  It  is  commonly  said,  that 
none  but  the  sons  of  Christians  were  taken  into  this  or- 
der ;  and  there  are  other  popular  mistake^  about  them, 
which  are  current  among  European  authors,  and  which 
Sir  WiHiam  Temple,^  among  others,  hath  adopted  and 
expressed,  as  he  doth  every  thing,  in  a  lively  and  ele- 
gant manner.  "  The  sons  of  the  deceased  Sultans  en- 
joyed the  estates  and  riches  left  by  their  fathers,  but  by 
the  constitutions  of  the  government  no  son  of  a  Sultan 
was  ever  either  to  succeed,  or  even  to  be  elected  Sultan : 
So  that  in  this,  contrary  to  all  others  ever  known  in  the 
world,  to  be  born  of  a  prince,  was  a  certain  and  unalter- 
able exclusion  from  the  kingdom ;  and  none  was  ever 
to  be  chosen  Sultan,  that  had  not  been  actually  sold  for 

*  See  Abul-Fharajius'  History,  Dynasty  IX.  pa^e  325,  &c.  and 
Pocock's  Supplement,  page  8,  &c. 

t  See  l*ocock's  Supplement,  page  7.  *  Mamaluc,  (and  in  the 
plural  Mamalic,)  signifies  a  purchased  slave,  or  one  that  be- 
comes the  property  of  a  master  by  a  price  told  down.'  See 
llerbelol's  Oriental  Library,  page  525,  on  the  word  Mamlouk.. 
•  This  word,  of  which  the  plural  isMemalik,  signifies  in  Arabic, 
R  slave  in  general,  but  in  particular  it  hath  been  applied  to 
Turkish  and  Circassian  slaves,*  Sec. 

t  See  Sir  William  Temple's  works.  Vol.  I.  iMiscellanieS^ 
X'art  II.    Essay  on  Heroic  Virtue,  Sect.  5.  page  224. 


250  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

a  slave,  brought  from  Circassia,  and  trained  up  a  private 
soldier  in  the  Mamaluc  bands,"  But  they*  vt^ho  were 
better  versed  in  oriental  authors,  assure  us,  that  these 
are  vulgar  errors,  and  it  appears  from  the  Arabian  his- 
torians,! that  among  the  ^^lamalucs  the  son  often  suc- 
ceeded the  father  in  the  kingdom.  Their  government 
is  thus  characterised  by  an  Arabic  author,^  quoted  by 
Dr.  Pocock ;  "  If  you  consider  the  whole  time  that  they 
possessed  the  kingdom,  especially  that  which  was  near- 
er the  end,  you  will  find  it  filled  with  wars,  battles,  in- 
juries and  rapines."  Their  government  §  began  with  Sul- 
tan Ibeg,  in  the  648th  year  of  the  Hegira,  and  the  year 
of  Christ  1250;  and  continued  through  a  ||  series  of  24 
Turkish  and  23  Circassian  Mamaluc  Sultans,  275  Ara- 
bic and  267  Julian  years  ;  und  ended  H  with  Tamanbai  in 
the  923d  year  of  the  Hegira,  and  the  year  of  Christ 
1517. 

For  at  that  time  Sclim,**  the  ninth  emperor  of  the 
Turks  conquered  ihe  Mamalucs,  hanged  their  last  Sultan 
Tumanhai  before  one  of  the  gates  of  Cairo,  put  an  end 
to  their  government;  caused  five  hundred  of  the  chiefest 
Egyptian  families  to  be  transported  to  Constantinople,  as 
likev/ise  a  great  number  of  Mamalucs'  wives  and   chil- 

*  See  Pocock's  Supplement,  page  31.  From  what  has  been 
said,  it  is  manifest  that  they  are  mistaken;,  who  tliink  that  the 
Mamalucs  are  the  sons  of  Christians  only.  They  have  also  been 
mistaken,  who  have  written  concerning-  the  riglit  of  succession 
among  them,  and  concerning  their  discipline.  Herbelot  in  his 
Oriental  I^ibrary,  pag-e  545,  saith ;  It  appears  from  what  we 
have  seen,  that  the  Mamalucs  were  not  the  sons' of  Christians, 
(though  perhaps  there  may  be  some  such  among  them,)  as  some 
of  our  historians  have  asserted. 

t  See  Pocock's  Supplement,  page  8,  10,  11,  13,  18,  20,  22, 
23,  24,  25. 

^  Al-Janabius  in  Pocock's  Supplement,  page  31,  saith,  *  if 
}od  take  a  retrospective  view  of  tlie  whole  time  in  which  they 
possessed  the  kingdom,  especially  that  which  approached  to 
the  termination  of  it,  you  will  find  it  filled  with  a  detail  of  wars, 
ligiits,   iiijuries,  and  plunderings.' 

§  See  Pocock,  page  8.     See  Herbelot,  page  479. 

ii  See  Pocock,  page  8—30.     See  Herbelot,  page  5i5. 

*[  See  Pocock,  p:iL,'-c  30.     See  Herbelot,  page  i;.>31. 

**  See  Pocock's  Supplement,  page  30  and  49.  .See  Herbclot's 
Oriental  Library,  png-c  545,  and  802,  and  1031.  See  also  Sa- 
vage's Abridgment  of  KiioUes  and  llycaut's  Turkish  History, 
Yo).  I.  page  241. 


THE  PROPUFXIES.  251 

dren,  besides  the  Sultan's  treasure  and  other  immense 
riches ;  and  annexed  Egypt  to  the  Othman  empire, 
whereof  it  hath  continued  a  province  from  that  day  to 
this.  It  is  governed  as  prince  Cantemir  informs  us,  by 
a  Turkish  Basha,*  with  twenty-four  beg,s  or  princes  un- 
der him,  who  are  advanced  from  servitude  to  the  admi- 
nistration of  public  affairs  ;  a  superstitious  notion  posses- 
sing the  Egyptians,  that  it  is  decreed  by  fate,  that  cap- 
tives shall  reign,  and  the  natives  be  subject  to  them.— 
But  it  cannot  well  be  a  superstitious  notion,  being  a  no- 
tion in  all  probability  at  first  derived  from  some  tradi- 
tion of  these  prophecies,  that  '  Egypt  should  be  a  base 
kingdom  ;  t/iat  there  should  be  no  more  a  piince  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  that  Ham  in  his  posterity  should  be 
a  servant  of  servants  unto  his  brethren.' 

By  this  deduction  it  appears,  that  the  truth  of  Ezekiei's 
prediction  is  fully  attested  by  the  whole  series  of  the  his- 
tory of  Egypt  from  that  time  to  the  present.  And  who 
couid  pretend  to  say  upon  human  conjecture,  that  so 
great  a  kingdom,  so  rich  and  fertile  a  country,  should 
ever  afterwards  become  tributary  and  subject  to  stran- 
gers ?  It  is  now  a  great  deal  above  two  thousand  years, 
since  this  prophecy  was  first  delivered;  and  what  likeli- 
hood or  appearance  was  there,  that  the  Egyptians  should 
for  so  many  ages  bowAmder  a  foreign  yoke,  and  never  in 
all  that  time  be  able  to  recover  their  liberties,  and  have  a 
prince  of  their  own  to  reign  over  them  ?  But  as  is  the 
prophecy,  so  is  the  event.  For  not  long  afterwards  Egypt 
was  conquered  by  the  Babylonians,  and  after  the  Baby- 
lonians by  the  Persians;  I  and  after  the  Persians  it  became 
subject  to  the  Macedonians,  and  after  the  Macedonians 
to  the  Romans,  and  after  the  Romans  to  the  Saiacens, 
and  then  to  the  Mamalucs ;  and  is  now  a  province  of  the 
Othman  empire. 

Thus  we  see  how  Nineveh,  Babylon,  Tyre  and  Egypt, 
the  great  adversaries  and  oppret^sois  of  the  Jews,  have 
been  visited  by  divine  vengeance  for  their  enmity  and- 
cruelty  to  the  people  of  God.  Not  that  we  must  think 
God  so  partial  as  to  punish  these  nations  only  for  the 

*  Se e  Piince  Cantlmlr's  History  of  the  Othman  empire.  Part 
I.  Book  ni    page  156,  in  the  No'.es. 

f  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  J.  ycwir  589,  and  1^, 
'of  Zedekiah. 


252  DISSERTATION  ON 

sake  of  the  Jews;  the}-  were  guilty  of  other  flagrant  sins^ 
for  which  the  prophets  denounced  the  divine  judgments 
upon  them.  Egypt  in  particular  was  severely  threa^ 
tened  by  the  prophet  Ezekiel,Chup.xxix.xxx.xxxi.  xxxii. 
for  her  idolatry,  her  pride,  and  her  wickedness.  And  the 
Egyptians  have  generally  been  more  wretched,  as  they 
have  generally  been  more  wicked,  than  other  nations.  An- 
cient authors  describe  them  every  where  as  superstitious 
and  luxurious,  as  an*  unwarlike  and  unserviceable  people ; 
ast  a  faithless  and  fallacious  nation,  always  meaning  one 
thing  and  pretending  another,  as^  lovers  of  wine  and 
strong  drink,  as  §  cruel  in  their  anger,  as  ||  thieves  and 
tolerating  all  kinds  of  theft,  as^  patient  of  tortures,  and 
though  put  to  the  rack,  yet  choosing  rather  to  die  than 
to  confess  the  truth.  Modern  authors  paint  them  still  in 
blacker  colours.  The  famous  Thevenot**  is  very  strong 
and  severe  :  "  The  people  of  Egypt  (generally  speaking) 
are  all  swarthy,  exceeding  wicked,  great  rogues,  coward- 
ly, lazy,  hypocrites,  buggerers,  robbers,  treacherous,  so 
very  greedy  of  inoney,  that  they  will  kill  a  man  for  a  7naid' 
at  or  three  halfpence.'*    Bishop  Pocock'sft  character  of 

*  See  Strabo,  Book  XVII.  page  817,  in  ihe  Paris  edition,  and 
page  1175,  in  the  Amsterdam' edition  of  1707.  See  also  Juve- 
*al's  Satire  XV.  line  126,  *  An  unwarlike  and  useless  rabble.* 

f  See  Lucan,  V.  line  58th.  *  a  faithless  nation.*  See  Hirtius' 
Wars  of  Alexander,  Chap.  xvi.  '  A  treacherous  nation,  always 
slcsfgning  one  thing,  and  pretending  another.* 

i  Athenxusin  Dion,  Book  I.  page  34,  in  Casaubon*s  edition, 
*  iriuch  addicted  to  wine  and  strong  drink.' 

§  Polybius,  Book  XV.  page  719,  in  Cusaubon's. edition,  saith, 
'That  this  seems  to  be  constitutional  with  the  Egyptians,  that 
they  are  wonderfully  irascible  and  cruel.' 

ij  Auhis  GcUius,  Book  XI.  Chap,  xviii,  'on  the  authority  of 
Aristo,  saitli,  lliat  all  kinds  of  theft  were  suifered  to  pass  with 
impunity.'  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  1.  page  50,  in  Stephanas* 
edition,  and  page  72,  in  that  of  Rhodomanus. 

^  Aciian  in  his  Various  History,  Book  VII.  Chap,  xviii.  has 
thest  words;  'It  is  said,  that  the  Egyptians  endure  torture  with 
the  greatest  patience ;  and  that  an  Egyptian  -svill  rather  die,  when, 
examined  upon  the  rack,  than  tell  the  ti'uth.'  See  Aminianus 
Marcelliiiui.,  Book  XXJI.  Chap.  xvi.  page  347,  in  Valesius'  edi- 
tion of  1681. 

*•  See  Thevenot  in  Harris's  Collection,  Vol.  IT.  Chap.  viii.  page 
429. 

ft  See  Pocock's  Description  of  the  E^st,  Vol  I.  Book  IV.  Chap, 
iv.  page  177. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  253 

them  is  not  much  more  favourable,  though  not  so  harsh 
and  opprobrious  ;  ''  The  natives  of  Egypt  are  now  a  sloth- 
ful people,  and  delight  in  sitting  still,  hearing  tales,  and 
indeed  seem  always  to  have  been  more  fit  for  the  Cjuiet 
life,  than  for  any  active  scenes. — They  are  also  malicious 
and  envious  to  a  great  degree,  which  keeps  them  from 
uniting  and  setting  up  for  themselves ;  and  thou-h  they  are 
\  ery  ignorant,  yet  they  have  a  natural  cunning  and  artifice 
as  well  as  falsehood,  and  this  makes  them  always  suspicious 
of  travellers. — The  love  of  money  is  so  rooted  in  them, 
that  nothing  is  to  be  done  without  bribery — They  think 
the  (greatest  villanies  are  expiated,  when  once  they  wash 
their  hands  and  feet — Their  words  pass  for  nothing,  ei- 
ther in  relations,  promises,  or  professions  of  friendship, 
Sec."  Such  men  arc  evidently  born  not  to  command,  but 
to  serve  and  obey.  They  are  altogether  unworthy  of  li- 
berty. Slavery  is  the  fittest  for  them,  as  they  are  the 
fittest  for  slavery.  It  is  an  excellent  political  aphorism 
of  the  wisest  of  kings,  and  all  history  will  bear  witness  to 
the  truth  of  it,  that,  Prov.  xiv.  34.  '  righteousness  exalt- 
eth  a  nation,  but  sin  is  a  reproach  and  ruin  to  any  people.' 


XIII. 

XEBUCIIADNEZZAU'S  DREAM  OF  THE 
G1?EAT  EMPIRES. 

WE  have  seen  how  it  pleased  God  to  reveal  unto  the 
prophets  the  future  condition  of  several  of  the  ncigh- 
l)0uring  countries  ;  but  there  are  other  prophecies  which 
extend  to  more  remote  nations,  those  nations  especially, 
and  their  transactions,  wherein  the  church  of  God  was 
particularly  interested  and  concerned.  It  pleased  God 
too  to  make  these  revelations,  at  a  time  when  his  people 
seemed  in  other  respects  abandoned  and  forsaken,  and 
did  not  so  much  deserve,  as  stand  in  need  of  light  and 
comfort.  Isaiah  and  Jeremiah  prophecied  in  the  declen- 
sion of  the  kingdoms  of  Israel  and  Judah.  Ezekiel  and 
Daniel  prophecied  during  the  time  of  the  Babylonish 
captivity.     And  the  prophecies  of  Daniel  are  so  clear 

VOL.  I.  Y 


J 54  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

and  exact,  that  in  former  as  well  as  in  later  times,  it  hath 
confidently  been  asserted,  that  they  must  have  been  writ- 
ten after  the  events,  which  they  are  pretended  to  foretel. 

The  famous  Porphyry  (who  flourished  at  the  latter 
end  of  the  third  century  after  Christ)  was,  I  think,  the 
first  who  denied  their  genuineness  and  authority.  He 
wrote  fifteen  books*  against  the  Christian  rehgion,  the 
twelfth  of  which  was  designed  to  depreciate  the  prophe- 
cies of  Daniel ;  and  therein  he  affirmed,  that  they  were 
not  composed  by  Daniel  whose  name  they  bore,  but  by 
somebody  who  lived  in  Judea  about  the  time  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes ;  because  all  to  that  time  contained  true  his- 
tory, but  all  beyond  that  were  manifestly  false.  This 
work  of  Porphyry  together  with  the  answers  of  Euse- 
bius,  Appolinarius,  and  Methodius,  is  wholly  lost,  except- 
ing a  few  fragments  and  quotations,  which  are  preserved 
in  Jerome  and  others  of  the  fathers.  But  as  Jeromef 
rightly  observes,  this  method  of  opposing  the  prophecies 
is  the  strongest  testimony  of  their  truth.  For  they  were 
fulfilled  with  such  exactness,  that  to  infidels  the  prophet 
seemed  not  to  have  foretold  things  future,  but  to  have  re- 
lated things  past. 

The  celebrated  author  of  the  Scheme  of  Literal  PrO' 
nhecy  considered^  hath  followed  the  steps  of  Porphyry. 
He  hath  collected  every  thing,  that  in  the  course  of  his 
reading  he  thought  could  be  turned  to  the  disparagement 
of  the  book  of  Daniel.  He  hath  framed  all  that  he  had 
collected  into  eleven  objections  against  il ;  and  upon  the 
whole  concludes  with  much  positiveness  and  assurance, 
that  it  must  be  written  in  the  days  of  the  Maccabees. 
But  his  two  learned  opponents,:^  both  of  the  same  name, 

*  See  Cave's  Literary  History,  Vol.  I.  page  156.  See  Jerome's 
Preface  to  the  book  of  Daniel,  Vol.  111.  page  1072,  in  the  Bene- 
dictine edition. 

t  The  opposing  of  which  (prophecies)  Is  a  testimony  of  their 
truth.  For  so  great  was  the  truth  of  iheir  words,  that  even  to 
men  that  were  not  credulous,  the  prophet  seemed  not  to  be 
speaking  of  future  events,  but  to  be  iclating  such  as  were  past. 
See  the  same  place  of  Jerome. 

+  See  Bp.  Chandler's  Vindication  of  his  Defence  of  Christia- 
nity, and  Mr.  Samuel  Chandler's  Vindication  of  the  Antiquity 
and  Authority  of  Daniel's  Prophecies,  in  answer  to  the  Scheme 
of  Literal  Prophecy  considered. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  255 

have  solidly  and  clearly  refuted  his  eleven  objections,  and 
shown  them  ail  to  be  mere  cavils  or  direct  falsities, 
groundless  assertions,  wrong  quotations,  or  plain  contra- 
dictions. 

And  indeed  it  may  be  proved,  it  hath  been  proved  to 
a  demonstration,  as  much  as  any  thing  of  this  nature  can 
be  proved  to  a  demonstration,  by  all  the  characters  and 
testimonies  both  internal  and  external,  that  the  prophe- 
cies of  Daniel  were  written  at  the  time  that  the  scripture 
says  they  were  written,  and  he  firosfiered  on  account  of 
these  prophecies,  Dan.  vi.  23.  <  in  the  reign  of  Darius  the 
Mede,  and  in  the  reign  of  Cyrus  the  Persian  :*  that  is 
between  five  and  six  hundred  years  before  Christ.  It  is 
Very  capricious  and  unreasonable  in  believers  to  object, 
as  Colins  doth,  to  the  piophecies  of  Daniel,  sometimes 
that  they  are  too  plain,  and  sometimes  that  they  are  too 
obscure.  Bui  it  will  entirely  overthrow  the  notions  of 
their  being  written  in  the  days  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
or  of  the  Maccabees,  and  will  establish  the  credit  of  Da- 
niel as  a  prophet  beyond  all  contradiction,  if  it  can  be 
proved  that  there  are  several  prophecies  of  his,  which 
have  been  fulfilled  since  the  days  of  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
and  the  Maccabees  as  well  as  before,  nay,  that  there  are 
prophecies  of  his,  which  are  fulfilling  in  the  world  at  this 
very  time. 

Daniel's  first  prophecy,  and  the  ground-work  as  I  may 
say  of  all  the  rest,  was  his  interpretation  of  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's dream.  This  monarch  '  in  the  second  year  of 
his  reign,*  Dan.  ii.  1.  according  to  the  Babylonian  ac- 
count, or  the  fourth  according  to  the  Jewish,  that  is  in 
the  second  year  of  his  reigning  alone,  or  the  fourth  from 
his  first  reigning  jointly  with  his  father,  having  subdued 
all  his  enemies,  and  firmly  established  his  throne,  was 
thinking  '  upon  his  bed,'  ver.  29.  <  what  should  come  to 
pass  hereafter,'  what  should  be  the  future  success  of  his 
family  and  kingdom,  and  whether  any  or  what  families 
and  kingdoms  might  arise  after  his  own  :  and  as  our 
waking  thoughts  usually  give  some  tincture  to  our  dreams, 
he  dreamed  of  something  to  the  same  purpose,  which 
astonished  him,  but  which  he  could  not  rightly  under- 
stand. The  dream  affected  him  strongly  at  the  time ; 
but  awaking  in  confusion,  he  had  but  an  imperfect  re- 


256  DISSERTATIONS  OX 

niembrance  of  it,  he  could  not  re  collect  all  the  particu- 
lars. He  called  therefore,  ver.  2.  '  for  the  magicians  and 
astrologers;  and,  as  absurdly  as  imperiously,  demanded 
of  them,  ver.  5.  upon  pain  of  death  and  destruction.  Ho 
jnake  known  unto  him  both  the  dream  and  the  interpre- 
tation thereof.*  They  answered  very  reasonably,  that  no 
king  had  ever  required  such  a  thing,  that  it  transcended 
all  the  powers  and  faculties  of  man  ;  God  alone  or  only 
beings  like  God  conld  disclose  it ;  ver.  10,  11.  '  There  is 
not  a  man  upon  eaith,  that  can  show  the  king's  matter ; 
therefore  there  is  no  king,  lord,  nor  ruler,  that  asked  such 
thin;j;s  at  any  magician,  astrologer,  or  Chaldean  :  And  it 
is  a  rare  thing  that  the  king  requireth,  and  there  is  none 
other  that  can  show  it  before  the  king,  except  the  God, 
whose  dwelling  is  not  with  flesh.'  Eut  the  pride  of  ab- 
solute power  cannot  hear  any  reason,  or  bear  any  con- 
trol ;  and  the  king  greatly  incensed,  presently  ordered 
all  the  magicians  and  wise  men  of  Babylon  to  be  destroy- 
ed ;  ver.  12.  'For  this  cause  the  king  was  angry  and  very 
furious,  and  commanded  to  destroy  all  the  wise  men  of 
]3abylon.' 

Daniel  and  his  fellows  would  have  been  involved  in  the 
same  fate  as  the  rest  ;  but  by  their  joint  and  earnest 
prayers  to  the  God  of  heaven,  '  the  secret  was  revealed 
unto  Daniel  in  a  niglit  vision  ;'  ver.  19.  '  and  Daniel  bles- 
sed the  God  of  heaven.'  Daniel  thus  instructed  was  de- 
sirous to  save  the  lives  of  the  wise  men  of  Babylon,  who 
Avcre  unjustly  condemned,  as  well  as  his  own  :  and  he 
'  went  unto  Arioch,  the  captain  of  the  king's  guard,  whoni 
the  king  had  ordained  to  destroy  the  wise  men  of  Baby- 
lon :  he  went,'  ver.  24.  'and  said  thus  unto  him.  De- 
stroy not  the  wise  men  of  Babylon;  bring  me  in  before 
the  king,  and  I  will  show  unto  the  king  the  interpreta- 
tion.* The  captain  of  the  guard  immediately  introduced 
him  to  the  king,  and  said,  ver.  25.  'I  have  found  a  man 
of  the  captives  of  Judah,  that  will  make  known  unlo  tlic 
king  the  interpretation.'  '  I  have  found  a  man'  said  he, 
though  Daniel  had  voluntarily  offered  himself;  where 
Jerome  remarks  the  manner  of  courtiers,  qjd  (juvm  bora 
'iumciant^  sua  vid'/riy  volunt^  who  when  they  relate  good 
tilings,  are  willing  to  have  them  thou.^ht  their  own,  and 
to  have  the  merit  ascribed  to  themselves.     But  Daniel 


THE  PROPHECIES.  257 

was  far  from  assuming;  any  merit  to  himself,  and  said 
vciy  modestly,  that  'this  secret,'  ver.  27.  'which  the 
wise  men,  astrologers,  magicians,  and  soothsayers,  could 
not  show  unto  the  king,  was  not  revealed  to  him,'  ver. 
30.  '  for  any  wisdom  that  he  had  more  than  others  :  but 
there  is  a  God  in  heaven,  ver.  28.  'that  revealeth  secrets 
and  maketh  known  to  the  king  Nebuchadnezzar,  what 
shall  be  in  the  latter  days  ;  or  '  what  shall  come  to  pass 
hereafter,'  as  it  is  expressed,  ver.  29,  and  45,  twice  af- 
terwards. The  impious  king,  as  Jerome*  justly  observes, 
had  a  prophetic  dream,  that  the  Saint  interpreting  it,  God 
might  be  glorified,  and  the  captives  and  those  who  served 
God  in  captivity  might  receive  great  consolation.  We  read 
the  same  thing  of  Pharaoh,  not  that  Pharaoh  and  Nebu- 
chadnezzar deserved  to  see  such  things,  but  that  Joseph 
and  Daniel  by  interpreting  them  might  be  preferred  to 
all  others.  And  as  St.  Jerome  farther  observes,  that  Ne- 
buchadnezzar might  admire  the  grace  of  divine  inspira- 
tion. Daniel  not  only  told  him  what  he  saw  in  his  drean.', 
but  also  what  he  thought  within  himself  before  his  dream, 
ver.  29.  'As  for  thee,  O  king,  thy  thoughts  came  into 
thy  mind;  upon  thy  bed,  what  should  come  to  pass  here- 
after: and  he  that  revealeth  secrets,  maketh  known  un- 
to thee  what  shall  come  to  pass.' 

Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  was  of '  a  great  image.  This 
great  image,'  ver.  31.  '  whose  brightness  was  excellent, 
stood  before  him,  and  the  form  thereof  was  terrible.'  It 
appears  from  ancient  coins  and  medals,  that  cities  and 
people  were  often   represented  by  figures  of  men  and 

*  See  Jerome's  Commentary  on  verse  1.  He  saith,  'That  the 
wicked  king  had  a  prophetic  dream,  that  by  the  saints  making 
kr.own  and  interpreting  to  him  v/hat  was  revealed,  God  might 
be  glorified,  and  that  great  consolation  might  be  imparted  to 
them  who  served  God,  and  that  were  in  a  state  of  captivity. 
The  very  same  thing  we  read  of  in  the  case  of  Pharaoh,  not  that 
Pharaoh  and  Nebuchadnezzar  deserved  to  have  such  things  re- 
vealed to  them,  but  that  Joseph  and  Daniel  were  found  worthy 
to  be  preferred  to  all  others,  by  tlie  interpretation  of  them.'  And 
.afterwards  on  verse  29,  he  addeth,  'And  that  Nebuchadnezzan 
might  admire  the  grace  of  divine  inspiration,  he  (Daniel)  not 
only  told  to  him  the  dream,  which  he  was  lavoured  with,  but 
even  the  secret  thoughts  of  his  heart,  previous  to  the  dream.* 
See  Vol.  111.  page  1077,  and  1080,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 


258  DiSSEUTATlOXS  0.V 

Avonien.  A  great  terrible  human  fif^iire  was  not  an  Impro- 
per emblem  of  liuraun  power  and  dominion  ;  and  the  va- 
rious metals  of  which  it  was  composed,  not  unfitly  typify 
the  various  kingdoms  which  should  arise.  It  consist- 
ed of  four  difterent  metals,  gold  and  silver,  brass  and  iron 
mixed  with  clay  ;  and  these  four  metals  according  to 
Daniel's  own  interpretation,  mean  so  many  kingdoms  : 
and  the  order  of  their  succession  is  clearly  denoted  by 
the  order  of  the  parts,  the  head  *  aiid  higher  parts  signi- 
fying the  earlier  times,  and  the  lower  the  parts,  the  later 
the  times.  From  hence,  as  Calvin  f  conceives,  the  poets 
drew  their  fables  of  the  four  ages  of  the  world,  the  golden, 
the  silver,  the  brazen,  and  the  iron  age  ;  by  which  de- 
clension in  this  place  it  is  signified,  that  the  world  always 
degenerates,  and  manners  grow  worse  and  worse.  But 
Hesiod,  who  lived  about  2uO  years  before  Daniel,  men- 
tioned the  four  ages  of  the  world  ;  so  that  this  vision  was 
formed  agreeably  to  the  commonly  received  notion,  and 
the  comn^.only  received  notion  was  not  first  propagated 
from  hence.  Whether  this  notion  of  the  world's  degene- 
rating and  growing  worse  and  worse  Ije  true  or  not,  these 
different  kingdoms  will  naturally  constitute  the  different 
heads  of  our  discourse.  And  we  shall  follow  the  best 
commentators  from  Josephus  down  to  Sir  Isaac  Newton, 
but  we  shall  regard  no  commentator  so  much  as  the 
truth  of  history,  the  evidence  of  reason,  and  the  analogy 
of  scripture. 

I.  *  This  image's  head  was  of  fine  gold,'  ver.  32.  which 
Daniel  interprets,  ver.  38.  *  Thou  art  this  hfcad  of  gold,' 
thou,  and  thy  family,  and  the  representatives.  The  Baby- 
hnian  therefore  was  the  first  of  these  kingdoms;  and  it 
was  fitly  represented  by  'the  head  of  fine  gold,'  on  account 
of  its  great  riches ;  and  Babylon  for  the  same  reason  was 

*  *The  part  of  the  statue  which  was  higher,  signifies  what 
was  first  in  the  order  of  time,  and  the  parts  lower  downwards, 
events  that  were  to  follow  after  in  the  same  order.'  See  Grotius 
on  the  passage. 

.  f  *  Fioni  this  passage  of  Daniel,  poets  have  deduced  their  fa- 
ble concerning-  tiie  four  ages  of  the  world,  namely,  these  of  gold, 
silver,  brass,  and  iron  ;  by  which  declension  in  this  passage  is 
sipjiifijd,  that  the  world  is  alwii.ys  degenerating,  and  its  manners 
growing  worse'     See  Culvin  in  pool's  Synopsis. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  259 

called  by  Isaiah;  xiv.  4.  '  the  golden  city.'  The  Assyrian 
is  usually  said  to  be  the  tirst  of  the  four  p^reat  empires  ; 
and  the  name  may  be  allowed  to  pass,  if  it  be  not  taken 
too  strictly.  For  the  Assyrian  empire,  properly  so  called, 
was  dissolved  before  this  time  ;  the  Babylonian  was  erect- 
ed in  its  stead  ;  but  the  Babylonians' are  sometimes  callccT 
Assyrians  in  the  best  classic  authors,  Herodotus,  Xeno- 
phon,  Strabo,  and  others,  as  well  as  in  the  holy  scrip- 
tures. Daniel  addresseth  Nebuchadnezzar,  as  if  he  was  a 
very  powerful  kins^,  and  his  empire  very  large  and  exten- 
sive; ver.  37. '  Thou,  O  king,  art  a  King  of  kings.'  He  per- 
haps might  think,  like  some  of  his  predecessors,  that  his 
conquests  were  owing  to  his  own  fortitude  and  prudence: 
Isu.  X.  13.  'By  the  strength  of  my  hand  I  have  done  it, 
and  by  my  wisdom,  for  1  am  prudent ;  and  I  have  rtm.ov- 
ed  the  bounds  of  the  people,  and  have  robbed  their  trea- 
sures, and  I  have  put  down  the  inhabitants  like  a  valiant 
man  '  But  the  prophet  assures  him  that  his  success 
must  be  primarily  imputed  to  the  God  of  heaven  ;  ver. 
37,  and  38.  '  For  the  God  of  heaven  hath  given  thee  a 
kingdom  power,  and  stren;^th,  and  glory  :  And  whereso- 
ever the  children  of  men  dwell,  the  beasts  of  the  field, 
and  the  fowls  of  the  heaven  hath  he  given  into  thine  hand, 
and  hath  made  thee  ruler  over  them  all.' 

All  the  ancient  eastern  histories  almost  are  lost :  but 
there  are  some  fragments  even  of  heathen  historians  yet 
preserved,  which  speak  of  this  mighty  conqueror,  and  his 
extended  empire.  Berosus  in  Josephus*  saith,  that  he 
held  in  subjection  Egypt,  Syria,  Phoenicia,  Arabia,  and 
by  his  exploits  surpassed  all  the  Chaldeans  and  Babyloni- 
ans who  reigned  before  him.  Josephus  t  subjoins,  that 
in  the   archives  of  the   Phcenicians,  there  are   written 

*  *  He  further  saith,  that  this  Babylonian  king  held  in  subjec- 
tion to  himself,  Eg-ypt,  Syria,  Piioenicia  and  Arabia,  and  that  by 
his  illus  rious  actions,  he  fi*..- surpassed  all  the  Chaklean  and  Ba- 
b  Ionian  kings,  who  had  gone  before  him  '  See  Josephus'  against 
Apion,  Book  I.  Sect.  19.  page  1342,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

■\  *  In  the  archives  of  the  Phoenicians,  are  to  be  found  things 
written,  which  agree  wiih  what  is  related  by  Berosus,  concern- 
ing the  king  of  the  Babylonians.  For  in  these  it  is  affirmed,  that 
he  subdued  Syria  and  all  PhcEnicia,  And  with  them,  Phllostra- 
tus  in  his  history  exactly  accords. — Nay,  Megasthenes,  in  tlie 


O(50  -    DISSERTATIONS  OS 

things  coiisonant  to  those  which  are  said  by  Berosus  con- 
cerning this  king  of  the  Babylonians,  that  he  subdued 
Syria  and  all  Phoenicia :  With  these  likewise  agree  Phi- 
lostratus  in  his  history,  and  Megasthenes  in  the  fourth 
book  of  his  Indian  history,  throughout  which  he  attempts 
to  show,  that  the  forementioned  king  of  the  Babylonians 
exceeded  Hercules  in  fortitude,  and  greatness  of  exploits  : 
for  he  affirms  that  he  subdued  the  greatest  part  of  Lybia 
and  Spain.  Strabo  likewise  from  the  same  Megasthenes* 
asserts,  that  this  king  among  the  Chaldeans  was  more  ce- 
lebrated than  Hercules,  and  led  his  army  out  of  Spain 
into  Thrace  and  Pontus.  But  his  empire,  though  of 
great  extent,  was  yet  of  no  long  duration  ;  for  it  t  ended 
in  his  grandson  Belshazzar,  not  70  year's  after  the  delive- 
ry of  this  prophecy,  nor  above  23  years  after  the  death  of 
Nebuchadnezzar;  wdiich  luay  be  the  reason  of  Daniel's 
speakintr  of  him  as  the  only  king,  '  thou  art  this  head  of 
gold,'  and  '  after  thee  shall  arise,  8<c.'  the  rest  being  to  be 
considered  as  nothing  ;  nor  do  we  read  of  any  thing  good 
or  great  that  was  performed  by  them. 

n.  '  His  breast  and  his  arms  of  silver,'  ver.  32.  which 
Daniel  interprets,  ver.  39.  'And  after  thee  shall  arise 
another  kingdom  inferior  to  thee.'  It  is  very  well  known, 
that  tl\e  kingdom  which  arose  after  the  Babylonian,  was 
the  Medo-Persian.  The  two  hands  and  the  shoulders, 
saith  Josephusjt  signify  that  the  empire  of  the  Babylonians 

fourth  volume  of  his  Indian  history,  attempts  to  show,  that  the 
forementioned  king  of  tlie  Babylonians  suj-passed  'Hereules  in 
bravery,  and  in  splenJor  of  action,  for  he  saith,  tl\at  he  conquer- 
ed a  great  part  of  Africa  and  Spain.'  See  Josephus  against 
Apion,  Book  1.  Sect.  2.  page  1343. 

*  '  But  Nebuchadnexzar,  who  is  more  extolled  among  the 
Chaldeans  than  Hercules,  marched  to  the  pillars  of  Hercules — 
and  afterwards  conducted  his  army  out  of  Spain,  into  Thrace 
and  Pontus.  See  Strabo,  Book  XV.  page  687,  in  tlie  Paris  edi- 
tion, and  page  1007,  in  the  Amsterdam  edition  of  1707. 

•|-  See  Usher's  Annals,  year  of  the  world  3466,  page  100.  See 
Prideaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  11.  year  539,  and  17  of  Bel- 
shazzar. 

^  *  But  the  two  hands  and  the  shoulders,  show  that  your 
kinj^dom  will  be  dissolved  by  two  kings.'  See  .Tosephus'  Anti- 
quities, Book  X.  Chap.  x.  Sect.  4.  page  457,  in  Hudson's  edi- 
tion. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  251 

should  be  dissolved  by  two  kini^s.  The  two  kings  were  the 
kings  of  the  Medes  and  Persians,  whose  powers  were  united 
under  Cyrus,  who  was  son  of  one  of  the  kini;s  and  son-in- 
law  of  the  other,  and  who  besieged  and  took  Babylon,  put 
an  end  to  that  empire,  and  on  its  ruins  erected  the  Medo- 
Persian,  or  the  Persian,  as  it  is  more  usually  called,  the' 
Persians  having  soon  gained  the  ascendency  over  the 
Medes.  This  empire  is  said  to  be  inferior^  as  beinj^  less 
than  the  former,  mitius  te  as  the  Vulgar  Latin  translates 
it,  because  neither  Cyrus  nor  any  of  his  successors  ever 
carried  their  arms  into  Africa  or  Spain  so  far  as  Nebu- 
chadnezzar is  reported  to  have  done  ;  or  rather  inferior 
as  being  wor.^e  than  the  former,  deterius  te  as  Castalio 
translates  it,  for  Dr.  Piideaux  *  asserts,  and  I  believe  he 
may  assert  very  truly,  that  the  kings  of  Persia  were  "the 
worst  race  of  men  that  ever  governed  an  empire."  This 
empire  from  its  first  establishment  by  Cyrus  to  the  death 
of  the  last  king  Davius  Coclomannus  lasted  not  much 
above  200  years.  Thus  far  all  critics  and  commentators 
are  agreed,  that  the  two  hi  st  kingdoms  represented  in 
Nebuchadnezzar's  dream  were  the  Babylonian  and  the 
Persian.  As  to  the  rest  there  hath  been  some  contro- 
versy, but  with  little  reason  or  foundation  for  it,  only  that 
some  persons  are  troubled  with  the  spirit  of  contradic- 
tion, and  will  dispute  about  the  plainest  points. 

III.  '  His  belly  and  his  thighs  of  brass,'  ver.  32. 
which  Daniel  interprets  ver.  39.  '  And  another  third 
kingdom  of  brass  which  shall  bear  rule  over  all  the 
earth.'  It  is  universally  known,  that  Alexander  the 
Great,  subverted  the  Persian  empire.  The  kingdom 
therefore  which  succeeded  to  the  Persian,  was  the 
Macedonian  ;  and  this  kingdom  was  fitly  represented 
by  brass  ;  for  the  Greeks  were  famous  for  their  brazen 
armour,  their  usual  epithet  being  t/ie  brazen-coated 
Greeks.  Daniel's  interpretation  in  Josephusf  is,  that 
another  coming  from  the  west,  completely  armed  in  brass 

•  Sec  Prkleaux'  Connections,  Part  I.  Book  II.  year  559,  and 
first  of  Neriglissar. 

f  'But  another  completely  arracd  In  brass,  coming  from  the 
west,  shall  destroy  their  kingdom.'  See  Josephus'  Antiquities, 
Book  X.  Cliap.  X.  Sect:  4.  page  457,  in  Hudson's  edition. 


262  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

shall  destroy  the  empire  of  the  Medes  and  Persians. — 
This  third  kingdom  is  also  said  to  '  bear  rule  over  all  the 
earth'  by  a  figure  usual  in  almost  all  authors.  Alexander 
himself  *  coramanded.  that  he  should  be  called  '  the  king 
of  all  the  world  ;'  not  that  he  really  conquered,  or  nearly 
conquered  the  whole  world,  but  he  had  considerable  do- 
minions in  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  that  is  in  all  the 
three  parts  of  the  world  then  known  ;  and  Diodorus  Si- 
culus,t  and  other  historians  give  an  account  of  ambassa- 
dors coming  from  almost  all  the  world  to  congratulate 
him  upon  his  success,  or  to  submit  to  his  empire  ;  and 
then  especially,  as  Arrian  t  remarks,  did  Alexander  him- 
self appear  to  himself  and  to  those  about  him  to  be  'mas- 
ter both  of  all  the  earth  and  sea.' 

That  this  third  kingdom  therefore  was  the  Macedo- 
nian, every  one  allows,  and  must  allow  :  but  then  it  is 
controverted,  whether  this  kingdom  ended  in  the  person 
of  Alexander,  or  was  continued  in  his  successors.  St.  Je- 
rome saith  §  expressly,  that  the  third  kingdom  signifies 
Alexander,  and  the  kingdom  of  the  Macedonians,  and  of 
the  successors  of  Alexander.  Which  is  rightly  named 
brazen,  saith  he  :  for  among  all  metals  brass  is  more  vo- 
cal, and  tinkles  louder,  and  its  sound  is  diffused  far  and 
wide,  that  it  portended  not  only  the  fame  and  power  of 
the  kingdom,  but  also  the  eloquence  of  the  Greek  lan- 

*  *  After  he  had  received  the  empire,  he  gave  orders  that  he 
should  be  called  the  king  of  all  lands,  avid  of  the  world.' — 
See  Justin,  Book  XII,  Chap.  xvi.  Sect.  9.  in  Graevius'  edition. 

f  '  At  this  time,  ambassadors  ft-om  almost  every  part  of  the 
world  came  to  him,  he.  See  Diodorus  Siculus,  Book  XVII.  page 
623,  in  Stephanas'  edition,  and  page  579,  Vol.  2.  in  that  of  Kho - 
domanus. 

i  *  And  then  especially,  Alexander  appeared  to  himself,  and 
to  them  that  were  about  him,  to  be  master  of  every  land  and 
sea.'  See  Arrian's  expedition  of  Alexander,  Book  VII.  Chap.  xv. 
pag-e  294,  in  Gronovius'  edition. 

§  Jliid  another  third  kingdom  of  brass,  -iohich  shall  bear  rule  over 
all  the  earth,  Dan.  ii.  39.  '  This  means  Alexander,  and  the  king- 
dom of  tile  Macedonians,  and  of  the  successors  of  Alexander. 
They  rightly  may  be  said  to  be  of  brass.  For  among  all  the  me- 
tals brass  is  most  sonorous,  it  tinkles  loudest,  audits  sound  is  dif- 
fused far  and  wide  ;  and  so  it  shows  not  only  the  fame  and  power  of 
the  kingdom,  but  also  the  eloquence  of  the  Greek  tongue.'  See 
Jerome,  Vol.  HI.  page  1081,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 


THE  PHOPHECIES.  263 

g^iiage.  Another  commentator  observes  *  that  this  king- 
dom is  compared  to  the  belly,  to  denote  the  drunkenness 
of  Alexander,  and  the  profuse  luxury  of  his  successors, 
especially  of  the  Ptolemies.  It  Avas  a  strange  wild  con- 
ceit in  Grotius  and  others,  to  think  that  the  kingdom  of 
Alexander  and  of  his  successors  made  two  different  king- 
doms. Grotius  was  indeed  a  very  great  man,  and,  for 
the  most  part,  a  very  able  and  useful  commentator: 
but  the  greatest  and  ablest  men  have  their  weaknesses, 
and  none  hath  betrayed  more  weakness,  or  committed 
more  errors  in  chronology  and  history  than  he  hath  done, 
in  explaining  the  Prophecies.  His  notions  here  are  as 
mean  and  contracted,  as  they  are  generous  and  enlarged 
in  other  instances. 

TheSelucidx  who  reigned  in  Syria,  and  the  Lagidae 
who  reigned  in  Egypt,  might  be  designed  particularly 
by  '  the  two  thighs"'  of  brass.     Of  all  Alexander's  suc- 
cessors they  might  be  pointed  out  alone,  because  they 
alone  had  much  connection  with  the  Jewish  church  and 
ration.  But  their  kingdom  was  no  more  a  different  king- 
dom from  that  of  Alexander,  than  the  parts  differ  from 
the  whole.     It  was  the  same  government  still  continued. 
They  who  governed  were  still  Macedonians.     The  me- 
tal was  the  same,  and  the  nation  was  the  same  :  nor  is 
the  same  nation  ever  represented  by  different  metals,  but 
the  different  metals  always  signify  different  nations.  All 
ancient  authors  too  speak  of  the  kingdom  of  Alexander 
and  of  his  successors  as  one  and  the  same  kingdom.  The 
thing  is  implied  in  the  very  name  by  which  they  are 
usually  called,  'the  successors  of  Alexander.'     Alexan- 
der being  dead,  saith  Josephus,t  the  empire  was  divided 
among  his  successors;  he  doth  not  say  that  so  many  new 
empires  were  erected.     After  the  death  of  Alexander, 
saith  Justin,  ±  the  kingdoms  of  the  east  were  divided 

*  It  is  compared  to  the  belly,  to  denote  the  drunkenness  and 
profuse  luxury  of  Alexander,  and  of  his  successors,  especially 
the  Ptolemies.'     See  Tirinis  in  Pool's  Synopsis. 

f  '  Upon  the  death  of  Alexander,  his  empire  was  divided 
among-  his  successors.'  See  Josephus*  Antiquities,  Book  XI. 
Chap.  viii.  Sect.  4.  page  505,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

i  '  After  the  death  of  Alexander  the  Great,  whilst  his  eastern 
'kingdoms  were  divided  among  hia  successors,'  &c.    See  Justin, 


264  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

among  his  successors;  and  he  still  denominates  them 
Macedonians,  and  their  empire  the  Macedonian;  and 
reckons  Alexander  the  same  to  the  Macedonians,  as  Cy- 
lus  was  to  the  Persians  and  Romulus  to  the  Romans. 
Grotius  himself  acknovvledgeth,*  that  even  now  the  He- 
brews call  those  kingdoms  by  one  name  the  kingdom  of 
the  Grecicuis.  There  is  one  insuperable  objection  against 
the  kingdoms  of  the  Lagidae  and  of  the  Selucidae  being 
a  different  kingdom  from  that  of  Alexander,  because  if 
they  are  not  considered  as  parts  of  Alexander's  dominion, 
they  cannot  be  counted  as  one  kingdom,  they  constitute 
properly  two  separate  and  distinct  kingdoms. 

IV.  '  His  legs  of  iron,  his  feet  part  of  iron,  and  part  of 
clay,'  ver.  33,  which  is  thus  interpreted  by  Daniel,  ver. 
40,  41,  42,  43.  '  And  the  fourth  kingdom  shall  be  strong 
as  iron?  forasmuch  as  iron  breaketh  in  pieces  and  sub- 
dueth  all  things ;  and  as  iron  that  breaketh  all  these,  shall 
it  break  in  pieces  and  bruise.  And  whereas  thou  sawest 
the  feet  and  toes,  part  of  potter's  clay,  and  part  of  iron  ; 
the  kingdom  shall  be  divided,  but  there  shall  be  in  it  of 
the  strength  of  the  iron,  forasmuch  as  thou  sawest  the 
iron  mixed  with  miry  clay.  And  as  the  toes  of  the  feet 
were  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay  ;  so  the  kingdom  shall 
be  partly  strong  and  partly  broken.  And  whereas  thou 
sawest  iron  mixed  with  miry  clay,  they  shall  mingle 
themselves  with  the  seed  of  men ;  but  they  shall  not  cleave 
one  to  another,  even  as  iron  is  not  mixed  with  clay.' 
Here  are  farther  proofs  that  the  kingdoms  of  the  Seluci- 
dae  and  of  the  Lagidae  cannot  possibly  be  the  fourth 
kingdom,  because  the  marks  and  characters  here  given 

rJook  XLI.  Chap.  iv.  Sect.  1.  speaking  of  the  Parthians,  he  saith, 
'  that  be  tiiumphing  in  the  east,  they  last  of  all  became  subject 
10  the  Macedonians,*  Chap.  i.  Sect.  5.  They  afterwards,  tlie  Ma- 
cedonians, being  drawn  into  a  civil  war,  &:c.  Chap.  iv.  Sect  2. 
■J'he  government  of  the  nation,  after  their  revolt  fiom  the  Mace- 
donian empire  was  monarchical.  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  1.  Thus  Arsa-- 
ces  having  soug-ht  and  established  his  kingdom,  was  no  less  re- 
nowned among'  the  Parthians,  than  Cyrus  among-  the  Persians, 
or  Alexander  among  the  Macedonians,  or  Itomulus  among  the 
Romans.  He  died  in  an  extreme  old  age,  Chap.  v.  Sect.  5.  in 
Graevius'  edition. 

*  *  Even  at  present,  the  Jews  call  these  kingdoms  by  one  name, 
that  of  the  Greeks.'    See  Grotius  on  Dan.  vii.  7. 


THE  PROPHECIKS.  265 

of  the  rourth  kingdom  by  no  means  af^rce  with  either  of 
those  kint^doms.  'I'his  fourth  kingdoni  is  described  a!> 
stronger  than  the  preceding.  As  iron  breaketh  and 
bruiseth  all  other  metals,  so  th's  brcaketh  and  subdueth 
all  the  former  kingdoms:  but  the  kingdoms  of  the  Lagi- 
dx  and  of  the  Sciucid^e  were  so  far  from  being  stronger, 
that  they  were  much  weaker,  and  less  than  any  of  the 
former  kingdoms.  This  kingdom  too  is  represented  as 
divided  into  ten  toes  :  but  when  or  where  were  the  king- 
doms of  the  I.agidae  and  of  the  Selucidoe  divided  into  so 
many  parts  ?  Besides,  the  metal  here  is  different,  and  con- 
sequently the  nation  should  be  different  from  the  pre- 
ceding. The  four  different  metals  must  signify  four  dif- 
ferent nations :  and  as  the  gold  signified  the  Babylonians, 
and  the  silver  the  Persians,  and  the  brass  the  Macedo- 
nians ;  so  the  iron  cannot  signify  the  Macedonians  again, 
but  must  necessarily  denote  some  other  nation  :  and  we 
will  venture  to  say  that  there  is  not  a  nation  upon  earth, 
to  which  this  description  is  applicable,  but  the  Romans. 
The  Romans  succeeded  next  to  the  Macedonians,  and 
therefore  in  course  were  next  to  be  mentioned.  The  Ro- 
man empire  was  stronger  and  larger  than  any  of  the  pre- 
ceding. The  Romans  brake  in  pieces,  and  subdued  all 
the  former  kingdoms.  As  Josephus  said,  that  the  two 
arms  of  silver  denoted  the  kings  of  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians; so  we  might  say  in  like  manner,  that  the  two  legs 
of  iron  signified  the  two  Roman  consuls.  The  iron  was 
<  mixed  with  miry  clay,*  and  the  Romans  were  defiled 
with  a  mixture  of  barbarous  nations.  The  Roman  empire 
was  at  length  divided  into  ten  lesser  kin,  doms,  ansv/ering 
to  the  ten  toes  of  the  image,  as  we  shall  see  heieafler. 
These  kingdoms  retained  much  of  the  old  Roman  strength, 
and  manifested  it  upon  several  occasions,  so  that '  the  king- 
dom was  partly  strong  and  partly  broken.'  They  mingled 
themselves  with  the  seed  of  men  ;'  they  made  marriages 
and  alliances  one  with  another,  as  they  continue  to  do  at 
this  day  :  but  no  hearty  union  ensued;  reasons  of  state  are 
stronger  than  the  ties  of  blood,  interest  generally  avails 
more  than  affinity.  Some  expound  it  of  the  secular  and 
ecclesiastical  powers,  sometimes  agreeing,  sometimes 
clashing  and  interfering  with-each  other,  to  the  weaken- 
ing of  both,  and  endangering  their  breaking  to  pieces-. 

TOL,    I.  Z 


066  DISSEUTATIOXS  ON 

Or  if  by  '  the  seed  of  men'  we  are  to  understand  the  same 
as  by  '  the  daughters  of  men,'  Gen.  vi.  2,  those  of  a  false 
and  different  relit>ion,  it  nuiy  allude  to  tlie  intermarriages, 
which  several  of  the  European  nations,  and  particularly 
the  French,  Spanish  and  Portuguese,  have  made  with  the 
Indians,  Africans  and  Americans.  Thus  some  of  the  ten 
kingdoms  who  call  themselves  '  sons  of  God,*  and  the 
only  sons  of  God  by  adoption,  have  mixed  with  '  the  seed 
of  men,'  with  strangers  to  men  ;  and  yet  no  solid  union 
ensues.  \\  hich  observation  was  sut^gested  to  me  by  an 
unknown  correspondent,  J>ir.  IJerciilus  Younti,e,  an  inge- 
nious clergymen  of  Carrick  in  Ireland.  The  Koman  em- 
pire therefore  is  represented  in  a  double  state,  first  with 
ihe  strength  of  iron,  conquering  ail  before  it,  '  his  kgs  of 
iron  ;'  and  then  weakened  and  divided  by  the  mixture  of 
barbarous  nations,  '  his  feet  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay.' 
It  subdued  Syria,  and  made  the  kingdom  of  the  beleucidae 
a  Roman  province  in  the  *  year  65  before  Christ ;  it  sub- 
dued Egypt,  and  made  the  kingdom  of  the  Lagidae  a  Ro- 
inan  province  in  the  year  30  before  Christ ;  and  in  the 
fourth  century  after  Christ,  it  began  to  be  torn  in  pieces 
J?y  the  incursions  of  the  barbarous  nations. 

St.  Jerome  lived  to  see  the  incursions  of  the  barbarous 
nations  ;  and  his  comment  t  is,  that  the"  fourth  kingdom, 
which  plainly  belongs  to  the  Romans,  is  the  iron  that 
breaketh  and  subdueth  all  things  ;  but  his  feet  and  toes 
are  part  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay,  which  is  most  manisfestly 
proved  at  this  time  :  Tor  as  in  the  beginning  nothing 
was  stronger  and  harder  than  the  Roman  empire,  so  in 
the  end  of  things  nothing  is  weaker;  since  "both  in  civil 
wars,  and  against  divers  nations,  we  want  the  assistance 
of  other  barbarous  nations."  He  hath  given  the  same 
interpretation  in  other  parts  of  his  works;  and  it  seemeth 

*  See  Usher,  Prideaux,  and  other  cbronolcg-ers. 

•j-  *  But  the  fourth  kingdom,  which  evidently  belong^s  to  the 
Jlomans,  is  that  of  iron,  whicli  breaks  in  pieces,  and  subdues  all 
things.  But  its  feet  and  toes  are  partly  of  iron,  and  partly  of 
clay,  which  is  most  manifestly  proven  at  this  time.  For  as  in 
the  beginning,  nothing  was  firmer  and  harder  than  the  lioraaii 
empire,  so  in  the  end,  nothing  is  weakei-,  seeing  both  in  the  ci- 
vil wars,  and  against  foreign  nations,  we  require  the  aid  of  oUier 
barbarous  nations.'  See  Vol.  III.  page  1082,  in  the  Jienedictine 
edition. 


THE  i'ROPiit:cn:s.  26r 

that  he  had  been  bl.unecl  for  it,  as  a  reflection  upon  the 
i^-overnmciit  ;  and  there  fore  he  n^aketh  this  apoloi^-y  for 
himself.  ••'  If,*  saith  he,  in  explaining  the  statue  and  the 
ditfevence  of  his  feet  and  toes,  I  have  interpreted  the  iron 
and  clay  of  the  Ro-nan  kingdom,  which  the  scripture 
foretels  should  first  be  strong,  and  then  weak,  let  theiu  not 
impute  it  to  me,  but  to  the  prophet:  lor  we  must  not  so 
flatter  princes,  as  to  neglect  the  verity  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures, nor  is  a  general  disputation  an  injury  to  a  single 
person." 

All  ancient  writers,  both  Jewish  and  Christian,  agree 
with  .lerome  in  explaining  the  fourth  kingdom  to  be  the 
Roman  Porphyry,  who  was  a  heathen,  and  an  enemy 
to  Christ,  was  the  first  who  broached  the  other  opinion  : 
which,  though  it  hath  been  maintained  since  by  some  of 
the  moderns,  is  yet  not  only  deslilute  of  the  authority, 
but  is  even  contrary  to  the  authority  of  both  scripture 
and  history-  It  is  a  just  observation  of  Mr.  Mede,f  who 
was  as  able  and  consummate  a  judge  as  any  in  these  mat- 
ters ;  "  The  Roman  empire  to  be  the  fourth  kingdom  of 
Daniel,  was  believed  by  the  church  of  Israel  both  before 
and  in  our  Saviour's  time  ;  received  by  the  disciples  of 
the  apostles,  and  the  whole  Christian  church  for  the  fiist 
300  years,  without  any  known  contradiction.  And  I  con- 
fess, having  so  good  ground  in  scripture,  it  is  with  me 
tantum  nan  articulus  Jidei^  little  less  than  an  article  of 
faith:* 

V.  Besides  this  image,  Nebuchadnezzar  saw,  ver.  34, 
35.  till  that  a  stone  was  cut  out  without  hands,  which 
smote  the  image  upon  his  feet  that  were  of  iron  and  clay, 
and  brake  them  to  pieces  :  Then  was  the  iron,  the  clay, 
the  brass,  the  silver,  and  the  gold  broken  to  pieces  toge- 

*  *  But  if  in  expounding  the  statue,  and  the  different  mate- 
riols  of  lis  feet  and  toes,  1  have  interpreted  the  iron  and  clay  of 
the  Roman  kingdom,  which  tiie  scripture  foretels  should  be  first 
strong,  and  then  weak,  let  them  not  impute  it  to  me,  but  to  the 
prtjphet.  For  neitb.er  must  we  so  pay  adidation  to  princes  as  to 
neglect  the  truth  of  the  holy  scriptures,  nor  can  a  general  dis- 
quisition be  regarded  as  an  insult  offered  to  an  individual.'  See 
his  preface  to  Isa.  xxxvi.  Vol.  III.  page  283,  in  the  Benedictine 
edition. 

t  See  Mede's  Works,  Book  IV.    Letter  6Lh.  page  736. 


268  DiSSF.RTATlOXS  ON 

ther,  and  became  like  the  chaffofihe  summer  threshinj^- 
fioors,  and  the  wind  carried  them  away,  that  no  place  was 
found  tor  them  :  and  the  stone  that  smote  the  imape  be- 
cunie  a  threat  tnountain,  and  filled  the  whole  earth  :* 
Which  is  thus  interpreted  and  explained  by  Daniel,  ver. 
4  t,  45.  '  And  in  the  days  of  these  kings  shall  the  God 
of  heaven  set  up  a  kint3;dom,  which  shall  never  be  de- 
stroyed ;  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left  to  other  peo- 
ple, but  it  shall  break  in  pieces,  and  consume  all  these 
kins^doms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever  :  Forasmuch  as 
thou  sawest  tiiat  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain 
without  hands,  and  that  it  brake  in  pieces  the  iron,  the 
biass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the  gold.'  They  who  main- 
tain that  the  fourth  kingdom  was  the  kingdoms  of  the  Se- 
leucid^  and  of  the  LagidiE,  do.  many  of  them,  maintain 
likewise  that  this  fifth  kingdom  was  the  Roman.  But  how 
can  these  characters  agree  with  the  Roman  empire  ? 
ilow  was  the  Rom^m  empire  '  cut  out  of  the  mountain 
without  hands,*  or  formed  without  human  force  and  hu- 
man policy  ?  How  was  the  Roman  empire 'of  God's  erec- 
tion' more  than  any  of  the  former  kingdoms  ?  How  can 
the  Roman  empire  which  is  '  left  to  other  peoj  le,'  be 
said  'not'  to  be  'left  to  ether  people,'  and  how  can  that 
which  is  '  broken  in  pieces,'  be  said  to  '  stand  for  ever  ;* 
This  description  can  with  propriety  only  be  understood, 
as  the  ancients  understood  it,  of  the  kingdom  of  Christ. 
'  And  in  the  days  of  these  kings.'  that  is  in  the  days  of 
some  of  them.  As  '  in  the  days  when  the  judges  ruled  ;* 
Ruth.i.  1.  signifies  '  in  the  day  when'  some  of.'  the  judges 
ruled  ;'  so  '  in  the  days  of  these  kings'  signifies '  in  the  days 
of  some  of'  these  kingdoms  :'  and  it  must  be  during  the 
days  of  the  last  of  them,  because  they  are  reckoned  ybz^r 
in  succession,  and  consequently  this  must  be  the  fifth 
kingdom.  Accordingly  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  set 
up  during  the  days  of  the  last  of  these  kingdoms,  that  is 
the  Romans.  The  stone  was  totally  a  different  thing  from 
he  image^  and  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  totally  different 
from  the  kingdoms  of  this  world.  'The  stone  was  cut 
out  of  the  mountain  without  hands,'  as  our  heavenly  body 
is  said,  2  ('or.  v.  I.  to  be  '  a  building  of  God,  an  house 
not  made  with  hands  ;'  that  is  spiritual,  as  the  phrase  is 
used  in  other  places.  Mark  xiv.  5  8.  compared  with  John 


TMK  PJlOPflECIIiS.  269 

ii.  2\.  See  also  Coloss.  ii.  II.  Tl»us  the  fathers  *  gene- 
rally apply  to  Christ  himself,  who  was  miraculously  horn 
of  a  viri^in  without  the  concurrence  of  a  man  ;  but  it 
should  rather  be  iniderstood  of  tiie  kingdom  of  Christ, 
which  was  lonned  out  of  the  Roman  empire, not  by  num- 
ber of  hands,  or  strength  of  armies,  but  without  human 
raeans,  and  the  virtue  of  second  causes.  This  Idngdoni 
was  *  set  up  by  the  Ciod  of  heaven  ;*  and  from  hence  the 
phrase  of  'the  kingdom  of  heaven'  came  to  signify  the 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah  ;  and  so  it  was  u^ed  and  understood 
by  the  Jews,  and  so  it  is  applied  by  our  Saviour  in  the 
New-Testament.  Other  knigdoms  were  raised  by  hu- 
man ambition  and  worldly  power  .  but  this  was  the  work 
not  of  man  but  of  God  ;  this  was  truly  as  it  is  called  '  the 
kingdo'u  of  heaven,'  and,  John  xviii.  36.  '  a  kingdom  not 
of  this  world  ;'  its  laws,  its  powers,  were  cdl  divine.  This 
kingdom  was  'never  to  be  destroyed,'  as  the  Babylonian, 
the  Feisian,  and  the  Macedonian  empires  have  been,  and 
in  great  measure  also  the  Rouian.  Thiskingdo;r\  was  to 
'  break,  in  pieces  and  consume  all  the  kingdoms,'  to  spread 
and  enlarge  itself,  so  that  it  should  comprehend  within 
itself  all  the  former  kingdoms.  This  kingdom  was  to 
'  iill  the  whole  earth,'  to  become  universal,  and  to  '  stamJ 
for  ever.' 

As  the  fourth  kingdom  or  the  Roman  empire  was  re- 
presented in  a  two-fold  state,  first  strong  and  flourishing 
'  with  legs  of  iron,'  and  then  weakened  and  divided  '  with 
feet  and  toes,  part  of  iron  and  of  clay ;'  so  this  fifth  king- 
dom or  the  kingdom  of  Christ  is  described  likewise  in 
two  states,  which  Mr.  Medef  rightly  distinguished  by 
the  names  oi  regnum  lafiidis^  the  kingdom  of  the  stone, 
and  ng-num  montis^  the  kingdom  of  the  mountain;  the 
first  wljen,  '  the  stone  was  cut  out  of  the  mountain  without 
hands,'  the  second  wheait  became  itself '  a  mountain  and 
filled  the  whole  earth.  The  stone  was  cut  out  of  the 
mountain  without  hands,'  the  kingdom  of  Christ  was  set 
up  first,  while  the  Roman  empire  was  in  its  full  strength 

*  See  Justin  Martyr's  Dialog-ue  with  Tryphon,  pag-e  301,  in 
Thirlbius'  edition.  See  Irenaeus  against  Heresies,  Chap,  xxviii. 
page  258,  in  Grabe's  edition  See  Jerome's  Commentary  on  the 
passage,  Vol.  111.  page  1081,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

t  See  Mede's  Works,  Book  IV.  Letter  8.  page  743. 
z  2 


270  DISSEUTATIONS  OX 

'with  '  legs  of  iron.'  The  Roman  empire  was  aficrwards 
divided  into  ten  lesser  kingdoms,  the  remains  of  which 
are  subsis.ing  at  present.  The  image  is  still  standing 
upon  his  te^t  and  toes  of  iron  and  clay;  the  kingdom  of 
Christ  is  yet 'a  sloue  of  stumbling,  and  a  rock  of  offence ;' 
but  the  stone  will  one  day  smite  the  image  upon  the  feet 
and  toes,  and  destroy  it  utterly,  and  will  itself  *  become  a 
great  mount.;in,  and  fill  the  whole  earth  ;'  or  in  other 
words,  Rev.  xi.  15.  '  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  shall  be- 
come the  kingdoms  of  our  Lord,  and  of  his  Christ,  and 
he  shall  reign  ror  ever  and  ever.'  We  have  therefore  seen 
the  kingdom  of  the  sione,  but  we  have  not  yet  seen  the 
kingdom  of  the  ivo-uitain.  Some  parts  of  this  propiiecy 
still  remain  to  be  fuliJlL  d  :  but  the  exact  completion  of 
the  other  parls  will  not  suifer  us  to  doubt  of  the  accomp- 
lishment of  the  rest  also  in  due  season. 

As  we  may  presume  to  say,  that  this  is  the  only  true 
and  genuine  interpretation  of  this  passage,  so  likewise  is 
it  the  r/iost  consonant  to  the  sense  of  all  ancient  writers, 
both  Jews  and  Christians;  and  its  antiquity  will  be  a  far- 
ther reco.nmendation  and  confirmation  of  its  truth.  Jo- 
nathan Bel  Uzziel,  who  made  the  Chaldee  Targum  or  pa- 
^phrase  upon  the  prophets,  *  lived  a  little  before  our  Sa- 
viour, fie  made  no  Chaldee  version  of  Daniel,  the  grea- 
ter part  of  this  book  being  originally  written  in  Chaldee, 
or  his  version  is  lost :  but  however  he  applies  the  prophe- 
eies  of  Daniel  in  his  interpretation  of  other  prophets. 
Thus  in  his  paraphrase  upon  Habakkuk  he  speaketh 
of  the  four  great  kingdoms  of  the  earth,  f  that  they 
should  in  their  turns  be  destroyed,  and  be  succeeded  by  the 
kingdom  of  the  Messiah.     "For  the  kingdom  of  Babylon 


*  See  Walton's  Preface,  XH.  10.— See  Wolsius'  Hebrew  Li- 
brary, Book  \1.  Ciiap.  ii.  Sect.  2.  See  alsoPrideaux'  Connections, 
Pari  n.  Book  VIII.  year  27,  and  first  of  Herod. 

•j-  Habak.  iii.  17,  18.  *  For  the  kingdom  of  Babylon  shall  not 
be  permanent,  nor  exercise  dominion  over  Israel.  The  kings  of 
Media  sliall  be  slain,  tlie  brave  men  of  Greece  shall  not  prosper. 
Tlie  Romans  shall  be  destroyed,  nor  shall  they  collect  tribute 
from  Jerusalem.  Tlierefore  on  account  of  the  sign,  and  of  the 
ycdemption  which  thou  shalt  accomplish  for  thy  Christ,  and  for 
the  residue  of  thy  peuple,  they  who  remain  shall  celebrate  thy 
praise  saying,'  84c. 


THE  PUOPHKCIES.  271 

shall  not  continue,  nor  exercise  dominion  over  Israel ; 
the  kings  of  Media  shall  be  slain,  and  the  strong  men  oi' 
Greece  shal!  not  prosper  ;  the  Romans  shall  be  blotted 
oiiU  nor  collect  tribute  from  Jerusalem.  '1  herelore  be- 
cause of  tl^e  sign  and  redeniption  which  thou  shalt 
accomplish  for  thy  Christ,  and  for  the  ren.nant  of  thy 
peo])le,  they  who  remain  shall  praise  thee,  kc." 

The  sense  of  Josephus  we  will  give  in  the  words  of 
Bishop  Chandler*  together  with  his  reflections  upon  it. 
*'  Josephus'  exposition  of  this  text  is  so  full  in  the  point, 
that  it  ought  not  to  be  omitted.  Josephus  was  born  while 
Jesus  Christ  lived,  and  was,  as  het  says,  skilful  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  sacred  books  of  the  prophets,  being 
himself  la  priest,  and  the  son  of  a  priest,  and  extrt  ised 
this  way.  Hear  then  his  sense  of  that  part  of  the  dream 
"we  have  been  upon.  Daniel  foretold, :f  that  the  second 
kingdom  shall  be  taken  out  of  the  way,  by  one  that 
should  come  from  the  west  clothed  with  brazen  aruis  : 
and  also  that  the  strength  of  this  (en.pire)  another  should 
put  an  end  to,  that  should  be  like  to  iron,  which  from  the 
nature  of  the  mineral  is  superior  to  gold,  silver,  and  brass. 
Daniel  added  his  interpretation  of  the  stone  ;  but  I  don't 
think  fit  to  relate  that ;  my  business  being  only  to  give  a 
history  ofpasl  and  neuiy  dotie  things^  not  to  write  of  fu- 
ture thiuga.     Yet  if  there  be  any  one  that  is  eager  after 

•  Sec  Defence  of  Christianity,  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  2.  page  104,  &c. 
third  edition. 

f  See  Josephus'  Jewish  Wars,  Book  IlL  Chap.  vii.Sect.  3.  pug-e 
1143,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

\  '  Bui  their  empire  shall  be  destroyed  by  one  coming  fi  otn 
the  west,  equipped  with  brazen  armour.  1  be  strength  of  the 
kingdom  set  up  by  him,  shall  be  overcome  by  another  power, 
which  maybe  compared  to  iron,  and  shall  bring  all  under  its 
power  like  that  metal,  which  in  its  nature  hath  a  firmer  contex- 
ture than  gold,  or  silver,  or  brass.  Moreover  Daniel  expounded 
to  the  king,  every  thing  relating  to  the  stone.  But  ir  is  not  be- 
coming in  me  to  relate  these  things,  seeing  I  liave  prescribed 
these  limits  to  myself,  to  commit  to  writing  what  has  happened 
long  ago,  or  lately,  without  meddling  with  future  events.  But 
if  any  person  should  be  eagerly  desirous  to  come  at  the  truth, 
and  curious  to  push  his  inquiries  into  those  obscure  matters, 
that  are  yet  future,  let  liim  carefully  search  tlie  book  of  Daniel, 
which  he  will  find  among  the  sacred  writings.'  Sec  Josephus' 
Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap.  x.  Sect.  4.  page  457,  in  Hudson's 
edition. 


oj-o  DISSERTATIONS  0^ 

truth,  and  will  not  give  over  inquiring,  in  order  to  learn 
these  obscure  events  that  are  to  come,  let  him  carefully 
read  the  book  itself,  which  he  will  find  among  our  sa- 
cred (or  canonical)  books.  Upon  this  passage  observe, 
that  the  fourth  empire  is  the  Roman,  in  his  judgment; 
because  the  third  kingdom,  which  he  begins  in  Alexan- 
der, was  destroyed,  not  by  the  Greek  generals,  but  by  the 
Romans.  Again,  the  fourth  euipire  he  reckons  to  be 
past,  i.  e.  to  be  set  up  in  the  room  ot  the  Greek,  and 
therefore  he  gives  an  historical  explication  of  that,  among 
the  past  events.  But  the  kingdom  of  the  stone  being 
future,  he  refuses  to  toucii  on  that.  But  he  had  a  bet- 
ter reason  than  he  gave  :  he  feared  to  oflend  the  power 
in  bein^j,-,  whose  protection  he  needed  and  which,  he 
foresaw,  must  be  offended,  if  he  should  publish  the  hope 
of  his  captive  nation,  one  day  to  subdue  their  conquer- 
ors. We  see  however,  in  this  excuse  for  stopping  sliort, 
his  sense  of  the  prophecy  that  is  yet  unfuiiilled,  viz. 
that  the  kingdom  of  the  God  of  heaven  should  break 
in  pieces  the  Roman  ;  and  v/hich  he  must  consequently 
suppose  will  continue,  till  it  gives  place  to  the  everlast- 
ing kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  And  in  this  belief  Christ 
confirmed  the  Jews,  at  the  time  he  warned  them  of  their 
own  excision.  Th^  kbigdoin  of  God.  saith  he,  Matth. 
xxii.  43,  44.  or  all  the  advantages  of  the  Messiah's  com- 
ing, shall.be  taken  from  yon  and  given  to  a  nation  bring- 
ing  forth  the  ftuits  thereof.  For  whosoever  shall  fall 
against  this  stone,  (as  one  of  your  prophets  predicted, 
Isa  viii.  14,  15  )  shall  be  broken  :  but,  I  add  from  another 
prophet,  Dan  ii.  34,  35.  something  more  grievous  for 
those  that  shall  break  you,  on  ivhomsover  it  shall  fall,  it 
ivill  grind  him  to  fioivder.  The  kingdom  of  the  stone 
shall  bruise  the  Jews  that  stumbled  at  Christ's  first  com- 
ing ;  but  the  kingdom  of  the  mountain.,  when  manifested, 
shall  beat  the  feet  of  the  monarchial  statue  to  dust,  and 
leave  no  remains  of  the  fourth  monarchy  in  its  last  and 
degenerate  state.'* 

Tht  same  notion  was  prevalent  among  the  ancient 
Christians,  as  well  as  among  the  Jews.  St.  Jerome  and 
all  the  fathers,  who  have  occasion  to  comment  upon  this 
passage,  give  the  same  interpretation:  but  we  love  not 
to  multiply  quotations;    it  will  be  suflicient  to  produce 


TilE  PliOPHEClKS.  273 

the  testimonies  of  tluit  eloquent  prca -her  St.  Chrysos- 
toni,  and  of  that  elegant  historian  Siilpicivis  Severus.  St. 
C  lirysostoni  is  too  copiouy  to  be  quoted  at  large  ;  we  must 
content  oui'belves  with  some  extracts  out  of  him.  "For 
\Nluit  reason,*  saith  he,  doih  he  call  Nebuchadnezzar's 
kingdom  of  g;old,  and  that  of  the  Persians  of  silver,  and 
tliat  of  the  Macedonians  of  brass,  and  that  of  the  Ro- 
mans of  iron  and  clay  ?  See  the  materials  ri^^htly  dis- 
posed ;  for  gold  represents  richer,  Sec  ;    so  likewise  was 

that  kingdom and  it  occupies  the  head,  because  it 

appeared  the  first.  But  that  of  the  Persianswas  not  so 
wealthy,  as  neither  was  that  of  the  Macedonians  :  but  that 
of  the  Romans  was  both  more  useful  and  stronger,  and 
later  in  time,  therefore  it  occupies  the  place  of  the  feet. 
But  some  parts  of  this  kingdom  are  weaker  and  others 

are  stronger. i7id  in    the  days  of  those  kings.^  shall  the 

God  of  heaven  set  ufi  a  kingdom^  ivhich  shall  never  be  de^ 
stroyed  i  and  the  kingdom  shall  7ivt  be  It  ft  to  other  people, 

*  '  But  why  flolh  he  call  his  (Nebucliadnezzar's)  kingdem,  a 
klng"dom  of  g'oUl,  and  that  of  the  Persians  one  of  silver,  and 
that  of  the  Macedonians,  of  brass,  and  that  of  the  Romans  of 
iron  and  clay?  You  may  observe  the  mateiials  well  chosen  and 
arranged.  For  gold  is  an  emblem  of  riches — and  so  was  that 
kingdom — and  it  holds  the  place  of  the  head,  because  it  was 
first  in  the  order  of  time.  But  that  of  the  Persians  was  not  so 
opulent,  nor  that  of  the  Macedonians.  But  that  of  ihe  Romans 
was  more  useful  and  stronger,  and  followed  the  rest  in  the  order 
of  time,  and  tlierefore  holds  the  place  of  the  feet.  But  some  parts 
of  this  kingdom  are  weaker,  and  others  stronger. — "And  in  the 
duys-t)f  these  kings,  shall  the  God  of  heaven  set  up  a  kingdom, 
which  shall  never  be  destroyed,  and  the  kingdom  shall  not  be  left 
to  other  people,  but  it  shall  break  in  pieces  and  consume  all  these 
kingdoms,  and  it  shall  stand  for  ever."  Bring  me  hither  the  Jews, 
what  will  they  say  concerning  this  prophecy  !  For  surely  it  is  not 
lawful  to  say  of  any  kingdom  merely  hiunan,  that  it  hath  no 
bounds.or  termination. — *'hi  the  days  of  diese  kingdoms,"  name- 
ly of  the  Romans.  But  if  they  say  otherwise.  l>et  them  tell  me, 
how  he  could  break  in  pieces  and  consume  the  kingdom  of  the 
Babylonians,  which  already  had  been  long  ago  destroyed?  How 
the  silver,  tiie  kingdom  of  the  Persians  ?  How  the  brass,  tlie  king- 
dom of  the   Macedonians?     For  all  these  were  kingdoms  that 

had  been  in  former  times,  and  then  were  no  more. But  hovr 

can  he  destroy  kingdoms  which  are  already  extmct?  Tlie 
reason  is  plain,  he  destroyed  other  kngdoms  that  swallowed  up 
and  dv-'Stro;. ed  those.*  See  Jc.lin  Citrysoslom  on  Daniel,  page 
214,  and  216,  in  the  S'h  Vol.  of  the  Benedictine  edition. 


274  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

bh't  it  shall  break  in  pifcts.  and  consume  all  tlh  ae  king' 
(ioJ)ifi^  aiidit  ahall  Hiandfort^-oev.  Bring  hither  to  me  the 
Jews.  What  will  they  say  concerning-  this  prophecy? 
lor  it  is  by  no  means  right  to  say  of  any  human  king- 
dom, that  it  shall  be  everlasting  or  without  end. — In  the 
days  of  those  kings^  to  wit,  the  Hon)ans.  But  if  they  say 
how  can  he  break  in  pieces  the  gold,  the  kingdoin  of  the 
Babylonians  destroyed  long  ago  ?  how  the  silver,  the  king- 
dom of  the  Persians?  how  the  brass,  the  kingdom  of  the 
Macedonians  I  for  these  are  past  long  ago,  and  are  come 

to  an  end how  can  he  destroy  the  kingdoms,  which 

are  already  destroyed  ?  But  to  destroy  others  in  which 
these  are  included,  amounts  to  the  same  thing." 

Sulpicius  Severus  having  given  an  account  of  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's dream,  and  of  all  the  particulars  relating  to 
it,  subjoins  an  exposition*  of  it,  agreeable  to  Daniel's  in- 
terpretation. "  The  image  is  an  emblem  of  the  world. 
The  golden  head  is  the  ei":jpire  of  the  C  haldeans:  foras- 
much as  that  was  the  first  and  most  wealthy.  The  breast 
and  arms  of  silver  signify  the  second  kingdom  :  For  Cy- 

*  Therefore,  according  to  tlie  interpretation  of  theprophqt,  the 
ij-nage  seen  is  a  picture  of  the  wo^-ld.  The  head  of  gold  is^  the 
er.^pire  of  the  Chaldeans,  forasmuch  as  we  have  been  told,  it  was 
the  fii'st  and  the  most  wealth)'.  The  breast  and  arms  of  silver 
speak  out  the  second  kingdr-irt.  F<>v  Cyrus,  when  he  had  van- 
quished the  Chaldeans  and  Modes,  transferred  the  empii-e  to  the 
Persians.  In  the  belly  of  brass  is  evidently  foreshown  the  third 
kingdom.  This  part  of  the  piopljecy  vve  see  fulfilled.  For 
Alexander  having  wrested  the  empire  from  the  Persians,  deli- 
vered it  up  to  the  Macedonians.  The  legs  of  iron  denote  the 
fourth  empire,  namely,  the  Roman,  which  was  the  strong-est  of 
all  the  kingdoms  that  had  gone  before  it.  But  the  feet,  partly  of 
iron,  and  partly  of  clay,  sig'nify  that  the  Roman  empii-e  was  to 
he  divided  in  such  a  manner,  as  never  to  be  again  united.  I'his 
also  has  been  fulfilled. — For  the  Roman  territory  is  now  posses- 
sed by  foreign  nations  or  rebels. — In  our  armies,  cities,  and  pro- 
vinces, we  at  present  v/itness  a  mixture  of  barbarous  nations. — 
But  in  the  stone  cut  out  without  hands,  which  brake  in  pieces 
the  goUl,  the  silver,  the  brass,  the  ii-on,  and  the  cla}',  we  have  an 
emblem  of  Christ.  For  he  will  bring  to  nothing,  that  world  in 
which  are  earthly  kingdoms,  and  shall  establish  another  incor- 
ruptible kingdom.  Concerning  which  alone,  some  are  still  in 
doubt,  discrediting  fu\ure  things,  though  convinced  of  the  past.* 
See  Sulpicius'  Sacred  History,  Book  II.  page  66/67i  in  the  EL 
zivir  edition  of  1656. 


TIIK  IMIOPIIECIES.  275 

rus,  the  Chaldeans  and  Medcs  hcint^  overcome,  transfer- 
rt^d  the  empire  lo  the  Persians.  In  the  brazen  heily  the 
third  kini^dom  is  declared  to  be  portcnderl  ;  and  that  we 
see  fulrtlled  :  Forasmuch  as  the  empire  taken  from  the 
Persians,  Alexander  vindicated  to  Macedonia.  The  iron 
legs  are  the  fourth  kingdom  :  and  that  is  the  Roman,  the 
strongest  of  all  the  kingdoms  before  it.  But  the  feet,  part 
of  iron  and  part  of  clay,  prefigure  the  Roman  empire  to 
he  so  divideds  as  that  it  should  never  unite  again  :  which 

is  equally  fulfilled Forasmuch  as  the  Roman  teri-itory 

is  occupied  by  foreign  nations  or  rebels  : and  we  see 

(saith  he,  and  he  lived  at  the  beginning  of  the  fifth*  cen- 
tury) barbarous  nations  mixed  with  our  armies,  cities, 

and  provinces But  in  the  stone  cutout  without  hands, 

which  brake  in  pieces  the  gold,  the  silver,  the  brass,  the 
iron,  and  the  clay,  we  have  a  figure  of  Christ.  For  he 
shall  reduce  this  world,  in  which  are  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth,  to  nothing,  and  shall  establish  another  everlasting 
kingdom.  Of  which  alone  the  faith  of  some  is  still 
dubious,  and  they  will  not  credit  future  things,  when  they 
are  convinced  of  the  past." 

Nay,  Grotius  himself,  the  great  patron  of  the  other 
opinion,  that  the  fifth  kingdom  is  the  Roman  empire, 
commenting  upon  those  words,  ver.  45.  *  it  brake  in 
pieces  the  iron,  the  brass,  the  clay,  the  silver,  and  the 
gold,'  cannot  but  acknowledge  thatf  the  sublimer  sense 
is,  that  Chi  ist  will  put  an  end  to  all  earthly  empires,  ac- 
cording to  I  Cor.  XV.  24.  that  '  he  shall  put  down  all 
rule,  and  all  authority,  and  power.' 

Thus  it  pleased  God  to  reveal  unto  Daniel,  and  by 
Daniel  unto  Nebuchadnezzar,  the  greatest  and  most  sig- 
nal events  of  this  world.  As  Daniel  said  unto  Nebuchad- 
nezzar, ver.  45.  '  The  great  God  hath  made  known  to 
the  king  what  shall  come  to  pass  hereafter ;  and  the 
dream  is  certain,  and  the  interpretation  thereof  is  sure.* 
The  king  hearing  his  dream  related  with  such  exactness, 
might,  be  better  assured  of  the  truth  of  the  interpreta- 

*  See  Cave's  Literary  History,  Vol.  I.  page  374. 

•j-  '  The  sublimer  senst  is,  that  Christ  will  put  an  end  to  all 
earthly  governments,'  1  Cor.  xv.  21.  See  Grotius  on  the  pas- 
sage. 


276  BTSSERTATIOXS  ON 

tion,  and  of  the  g-reat  events  which  shouM  follow.  And 
from  hence  we  are  enabled  in  some  measure  to  accoiuit 
for  Nebuchadnezzar's  prophecying  a  little  belore  he 
died.  Abydenus  wrote  the  history  of  the  Assyrians. — 
It  is  not  well  known  in  what  age  he  lived,  and  liis  history- 
is  lost:  but  there  is  a  fragment  of  it  preserved  by  Euse- 
bius,  wherein  it  is  asserted  upon  the  authority  of  Me- 
gasthenes,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  was  divinely  inspired 
and  prophecied  in  this  manner:*  "  I  Nebuchadnezzar 
foretel  unto  you,  O  Babylonians,  an  imminent  calamity, 
vhich  neither  Behis  my  progenitor,  nor  queen  Beltis  can 
persuade  the  fates  to  avert  :  A  Persian  mule  shall  come, 
assisted  by  your  demons,  and  impose  servitude  upon 
you  ;  whose  coadjutor  shall  be  a  Mede,  the  boast  of  the 
Assyrians.*  And  soon  after  he  died.  Herodotus,  who 
was  a  much  older  historian  than  Megasthenes,  relates 
that  a  Delphic  oracle  was  given  to  Croesus  king  of  Lydia, 
that  t  when  a  mule  should  rule  over  the  Medes,  that  he 
should  not  be  ashamed  to  fly  away.  Which  oracle  was 
afterwards  thus  interpreted  by  the  Pythian  priestess  ;  Cy- 
rust  was  this  mule  ;  for  he  was  born  of  parents  of  differ- 
ent nations,  the  mother  the  better,  and  the  father  the 
meaner ;  for  she  was  a  Mede,  and  the  daughter  of  the 
king  of  the  Medes,  but  he  was  a  Persian  and  subject  to 
the  Medes.  If  any  credit  is  to  be  given  to  these  stories, 
if  any  such  prophecy  was  uttered  by  Nebuchadnerzar  a 

•  *  (y  Babylonians,  t  Nebuchadnezzar  foretel  to  you  an  ap- 
proaching* calamity,  which  neither  Belus  my  prog'enitor,  nor 
queen  Beltis  could  ever  persuade  the  flites  to  turn  away  from 
you.  A  Persian  mule  will  come,  aided  by  your  demons,  and 
lay  a  heavy  yoke  upon  your  necks.  He  shall  have  for  his  assist- 
ant a  Mede,  the  pride  of  the  Assyrians.  See  Eusebius'  Evan- 
g-elical  Preparation,  Book  IX.  Chap.  xli.  page  456,  in  Vigerus' 
edition. 

f  *  But  when  a  mule  shall  be  king  of  the  INIedes,  then,  O  Ly- 
dian,  be  not  ashamed  to  flee  away.'  See  Herodotus,  Book  I. 
(Jhap.  Iv.  page  21,  in  Gale's  edition 

^  •  For  Cyrus  truly  was  ihis  mule,  being  descended  from  two 
pai'ents  that  belonged  to  different  nations,  and  being  of  a  nobler 
extraction  by  the  mother's  side  than  by  the  fathei's.  For  she 
was  a  Mede,  the  daughter  of  Astyages,  a  king  of  the  Medes. 
But  he  was  a  Persian,  and  under  the  dominion  of  the  Medes,* 
'See  Herodotus,  in  the  same  place,  Chap.  5;ci.  page  39. 


THE  PROrHECIES.  277 

little  before  his  death,  if  any  such  oracle  was  received 
and  believed  of  Cyrus  and  the  Persians  subduinc^  Asia, 
the  notion,  the  tradition,  may  very  well  be  supposed  to 
have  been  derived  originally  from  this  prophecy  of  Da- 
niel, which  being  so  solemnly  delivered  to  a  great  king, 
and  pul)lished  in  Chaldee,  might  come  to  be  generally 
known  in  the  east ;  and  the  event  soon  afterwards  evinced 
the  truth  of  it. 

It  was  from  this  prophecy  too,  that  the  distinction  first 
arose  of  the  four  great  empires  of  the  world,  which  hath 
been  followed  by  most  historians  and  chronologers  in 
their  distribution  of  times.  These  four  empires,  as  they 
are  the  subject  of  this  prophecy,  are  likewise  the  sub- 
ject of  the  most  celebrated  pens,  both  in  former  and  in 
later  ages,  the  histories  of  these  empires  are  the  best 
writ,  and  the  most  read  of  any ;  they  are  the  study  of 
the  learned,  and  the  amusement  of  the  polite  ;  they  are 
of  use  both  in  schools,  and  in  senates;  we  learn  them  when 
we  are  young,  and  we  forget  them  not  when  we  are  old ; 
from  hence  examples,  instructions,  laws  and  politics  are 
derived  for  all  ages  ;  and  very  little  in  comparison  is 
known  of  other  times,  or  of  other  nations.  Not  but  there 
have  been  empires  as  great  or  greater  than  some  of  these, 
as  those  of  the  Tartars  for  instance,  and  of  the  Saracens, 
and  of  the  Turks ;  and  you  may  think  perhaps,  that 
they  are  as  well  deserving  of  a  place  in  this  succession 
of  kingdoms,  and  were  equally  worthy  to  be  made  the 
objects  of  prophecy,  being  as  eminent  for  the  wisdom 
of  their  constitutions,  the  extent  of  their  dominions,  and 
the  length  of  their  duration.  But  these  four  empires 
had  a  particular  relation  to  the  church  and  people  of  God, 
■who  were  subject  to  each  of  them  in  their  turns.  They 
were  therefore  particularly  predicted ;  and  we  have  in 
them,  without  the  intermixture  of  others,  a  line  of  pro- 
phecy (as  I  may  say)  extending  from  the  vt\ii:n  of  Ne- 
buchadnezzar to  the  full  and  complete  establishment  of 
the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah.  He  who  is  arbiter  of  king- 
doms, and  governor  of  the  universe,  can  reveal  as  much 
of  their  future  revolutions  as  he  pleaseth :  and  he  hath 
revealed  enough  to  manifest  his  providence,  and  to  con- 
firm the  truth  of  religion.  What  Daniel  said  upon  the 
first  discovery  of  these  things,  well  may  we  say  after 

\0L.  1,  A  a 


278  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

the  completion  of  so  many  particulars,  verse  20 — 22. 
'  Blessed  be  the  name  of  God  for  ever  and  ever  ;  for  wis- 
dom and  might  are  his.  And  he  changeth  the  times  and 
the  seasons  :  he  removeth  kings,  and  setteth  up  kings  : 
he  giveth  wisdom  unto  the  wise,  and  knowledge  to  them 
that  know  understanding.  He  revealeth  the  deep  and 
secret  things :  he  knoweth  what  is  in  the  darkness,  and 
the  light  dwelleLh  with  him.' 


XIV. 

DANIEL'S  VISION  OF  THE  SAME. 

WHAT  was  revealed  unto  Nebuchadnezzar,  in  the 
second  year  of  his  reign,  concerning  the  four  great  em- 
pires of  the  world,  was  again  revealed  unto  Daniel,  Chap, 
vii.  with  some  enlargements  and  additions  in  the  first 
year  of  Belshazzar,  that  is.  about  eight  and  forty  years 
afterwards.  But  there  is  this  difference,  that  what  was 
exhibited  to  Nebuchadnezzar  m  the  form  of  a  great 
image,  was  represented  to  Daniel  in  the  shape  of  great 
wild  beasts.  The  reason  of  which  is  ingeniously  assign- 
ed by  Grotius,  and  after  him  by  Mr.  Lowth,*  "  that  this 
image  appeared  with  a  glorious  lustre  in  the  imagination 
of  Nebuchadnezzar,  whose  mind  was  wholly  taken  up  with 
admiration  of  worldly  pomp  and  splendor  ;•  whereas  the 
same  monarchies  were  represented  to  Daniel  under  the 
shape  of  fierce  and  wild  beasts,  as  being  the  great  sup- 
porters of  idolatry  and  tyranny  in  the  world." 

Daniel  dreamed,  and  the  angel  interpreted.  *  These 
great  beasts,  which  are  four,'  (says  the  angel,  ver.  17.) 
<  are  four  kings,'  or  kingdoms,  as  it  is  translated  in  the 
vulgar  Latin,  and  the  Greek,  and  Arabic  versions,  and 
as  the  angel  himself  explains  it,  ver.  23.  '  The  fourth 
beast  shall  be  the  fourth  kingdom  upon  earth.'  They 
arise  out  of  a  stormy  and  tempestuous  sea,  that  is  out  of 

•  See  Lowth's  Commentary  on  Chap.  ii.  31.  and  Grotius  on 
the  passage. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  279 

the  wars  and  commotions  of  the  world ;  and  they  arc 
called  great  in  comparison  of  other  lesser  states  and 
kingdoms,  as  ihey  are  denominated  beasts  for  their  ty- 
rannical and  cruel  oppressions  and  depredations.  These 
beasts  are  indeed  monstrous  productions  ;  a  lion  with 
eagle's  wings,  a  bear  with  three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of  it, 
a  leopard  with  four  wings  and  four  heads,  and  a  beast 
with  ten  horns  :  but  such  emblems  and  hieroglyphics 
Were  usual  among  the  eastern  nations  ;  a  winged  lion 
and  sucli  fictitious  animals  may  still  be  seen  in  the  ruins 
of  Persepolis;*  horns  are  attributed  to  beasts,  which  na- 
turally have  none  ;  and  these  figures  were,  as  I  may  say, 
the  arms  and  symbols  of  such  and  such  nations,  and  are 
no  stranger  than  several  v/hich  are  still  used  in  modern 
heraldry.  We  will  consider  them  m  order,  and  take 
notice  only  of  such  interpretations  as  carry  in  them  some- 
thing probable  and  plausible,  to  the  end  that  we  may 
■  establish  what  is  more  certain.  To  recite  all  the  various 
opinions  of  commentators  woidd  be  but  heaping  up  a 
monument  of  the  absurdities  of  former  ages.  We  may 
collect  something  from  one,  and  something  from  an- 
other, and  yet  in  all  respects  perfectly  agree  with  none. 
I.  The  first  kingdom  is  represented  by  a  beast,  ver.  4. 
that  was  *  like  a  lion,  and  had  eagle's  wings  :  and  I  be- 
held till  the  wings  thereof  were  pluckt,  and  it  was  lifted 
up  from  the  earth,  and  made  stand  upon  the  feet  as  a 
man,  and  a  man's  heart  was  given  to  it.'  This  is  the 
kingdom  of  the  Babylonians:  and  the  king  of  Babylon 
is  in  like  manner  compared  to  a  lion  by  Jeremiah,  iv.  7. 
*  The  lion  is  come  up  from  his  thicket,  and  the  destroyer 
of  the  Gentiles  is  on  his  way  ;'  and  he  is  «aid  to  fly  as 
an  eagle,  xlviii.  40.  '  Behold  he  shall  fly  as  an  eagle, 
and  shall  spread  his  wings  over  ^Nloab;  and  he  is  also 
compared  to  an  eagle  by  Ezekiel,  xvii.  :1, — 12.  *  "i'hus 
saith  the  Lord  God,  a  great  eagle  with  great  wings,  Sec* 
The  lion  is  esteemed  the  king  of  beasts,  and  the  eagle 
the  king  of  birds  :  and  therefore  the  kingtijm  of  Baby- 
lon, which  is  described  as  the  first  and  noblest  kingdom, 
and  was  the  kingdom  then  in  being,  is  said  to  partake  of 
the  nature  of  both.     Instead  of  a  lion,  the  Vulgar  Latin, 

*  See  Sir  John  Chard  in,  and  other  travellers, 


j>80  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

and  the  Greek  and  Arabic  versions  have  a  lioness  ;  and 
it  is  Jerome's^observation,*  that  the  kingdom  of  Babylon, 
for  its  cruelty  is  compared  not  to  a  lion,  but  to  a  lioness, 
Avhich  naturalists  say  is  the  fiercer  of  the  two. 

The  euglv's  wing}^  denote  its  swiftness  and  rapidity  ; 
and  the  conquests  of  Babylon  were  very  rapid,  that  em- 
pire l)eini^  advanced  to  the  heighth  within  a  few  years  by 
a  single  person,  by  the  conduct  and  arms  of  Kebiichad- 
iiezzar.  It  is  farther  said,  '  the  wings  thereof  were  pluckt, 
-and  it  was  lifted  up  from  the  earth,'  that  is,  it  was  taken 
away  from  the  earth,  as  it  is  corsmionly  understood,  and 
as  it  is  translated  in  almost  ail  the  f  ancient  versions  :  or 
it  may  be  rendered* thus,  the  nvivga  thereof  ivere  pluckt 
wherewith  it  ivas  lified  nfi  from  the  earthy  as  Gfotius* 
explains  it,  and  as  we  read  ir  in  the  margin  of  our  bibles, 
the  conjunction  copulative  sometimes  supplying  the  place 
of  a  relative.  Its  wings  were  beginning  to  be  pluckt  at 
the  time  of  the.  delivery  of  this  prophecy  ;  for  at  this 
time  the  Medes  and  Persians  were  mcroaching  upon  it; 
Belshazzar  the  king  now  reigning  was  the  last  of  his  race; 
and  in  the  §  seventh  year  of  his  reign  Babylon  was  taken, 
and  the  kingdom  was  transferred  to  the  Medes  and  Per- 
sians. 

'  And  it  was  made  to  stand  upon  the  feet  as  a  man.  and 
a  man*s  heart  was  given  to  it.*    It  is  not  easy  to  say  what 

•  The  Babylonian  kingdom,  on  account  of  it3  ferocity  and 
cruelty, — is  not  called  a  lion,  but  a  lioness.  For  they  who  have 
written  on  the  nature  of  beasts,  tell  us,  that  the  lioness  is  the 
most  ferocious  and  cruel,  &c.  See  Jerome's  Commentary  on 
the  place,  Vol.  III.  page  1099,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

-j-  *And  (he  says)  it  was  lifted  up  from  the  earth.  This  hap- 
pened by  the  su!)version  of  the  impious  empire  of  the  Clialdeans.* 
Sec  Jerome  or\  tlie  passage.  'Ami  it  was  taken  away  from  the 
earth.'  Sec  the  Scptuagiiit.  *  1  beheld  its  wings  plucked,  and 
removed  from  tl)e  ground.'  See  the  Syriac  version.  '  And  it 
went  away  from  the  earth.'     See  the  Arabic. 

t  '  And  it  was  removed  from  tiie  earth  ;  namely  by  its  wings , 
v;hich  Jified  It  above  the  earth.  For  frequently  in  the  Chaldee, 
no  less  than  in  the  Hebrew  language,  the  copulative  conjunction 
has  the  power  of  the  relative  pronoun.'  See  Grotius  on  Dan. 
vii.  4. 

§  See  Josepli'is'  Antiquities,  Kook  X.  Chap.  xi.  Sect.  4.  page 
462,  in  Hudson's  edition.  See  also  Usher,  Prideaax,  and  other 
Chronologers. 


Tin:  PROPHECIES.  281 

is  the  precise  mcaninp^  of  this  passage  ;  unless  it  be  an 
allusion  to  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  when  in  his  mad- 
ness, iv.  6.  *  a  beast's  heart  was  given  unto  him,  and  af- 
ter he  was  restored  to  his  senses,  'a  man's  heart' was  giv- 
en to  him'  again.  What  appears  most  probable  is,  thut 
after  the  Babylonian  empire  was  subverted,  the  people 
became  more  humane  and  gentle  ;  their  minds  were 
humbled  with  their  fortune  ;  and  they  who  vaunted  as  if 
they  had  been  gods,  now  felt  themselves  to  be  but  men. 
They  were  broiight  to  such  a  sense  astlie  Psalmist  Xvish- 
eth  such  persons  to  have,  Psal.  ix.  20.  '  Put  them  in  fear, 
O  Lord ;  that  the  nations  may  know  themselves  to  be  but 
men.' 

II.  The  second  kingdom  is  presented,  ver.  5.  by  *  ano- 
ther beast  like  to  a  bear,  and  it  raised  up  itself  on  one  side, 
and  it  had  three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of  it  between  the  teeth 
of  it  :  and  they  said  thus  unto  it.  Arise,  devour  much  flesh.* 
This  is  the  kingdom  of  the  Medes  and  Persians :  and  for 
their  cruelty  and  greediness  after  blood  they  are  compar. 
ed  to  a  dear^  which  is  a  most  voracious  and  ciuel  animal. 
The  very  learned  Bochart  *  recounts  several  particulars, 
wherein  the  Persians  resembled  bears :  but  the  chief  like- 
ness consisted  in  what  I  have  mentioned  ;  and  this  like- 
ness was  principally  intended  by  the  prophet,  as  1  think 
we  may  infer  from  the  words  of  the  text  itself;  ••■  Arise, 
devour  much  flesh.*  A  bear,  saith  Aristotle,  is  an  all- 
devouring  animal :  and  so,  saith  Grotius,!  the  Medo-Per- 
sians  were  great  robbers  and  spoilers  according  to  Jere- 
miah, li.  48,  5  6. 

*  And  it  raised  up  itself  on  one  side,'  or  as  it  is  in  the 
margin,  it  raised  u/i  one  dominion  ;  for  the  Persians  were 
subject  to  the  Medes  at  the  conquest  of  Babylon,  but  soon 
after  raised  up  themselves  above  them.  '  And  it  had 
three  ribs  in  the  mouth  of  it  between  the  teeth  of  it; 
these  \  Jerome  understands  of  the  three  kingdoms  of  the 

*  See  Bocliart's  Hierozoicon,  Part  I.  Book  III.  Chap.  ix.  Col. 
816,  &.C. 

\  *  The  bear  is  an  all-devouring  animal,  saith  Aristotle,'  Book 
YIII.  Chap.  v.  So  Grotius  on  Jer.  li.  48,  56.  suiih,  '  that  the 
;&iedo-Persians  were  great  spoilers  and  plundctxrs  ' 

4:  *  Therefoi-e,  the  three  rows  (ribs)  ii\  tlic  mouth  of  the  king-- 
dom  of  tiie  Persians,  and  in  its  teeth,  we  must  understand,  the 
A  a  2 


232  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

Babylonians,  Medes,  and  Persians,  which  were  reduced 
into  one  kingdom  ;  and  so  likewise  Vatabulns  and  Gro- 
tius  :  but  Sir  Isaac  Newton  *  and  Bishop  Chandler  with 
greater  propriety  explain  them  to  signify  the  kingdoms 
of  Babylon,  Lybia,  and  Egypt,  which  were  conquered  by 
it,  but  were  not  properly  parts  and  members  of  its  body. 
They  might  be  called  rib.'s^  as  the  conquest  of  them  much 
strengthened  the  Persian  empire  ;  and  they  might  be  said 
to  be  '  between  the  teeth  of  the  bear,'  as  tliey  were  much 
grinded  and  oppressed  by  the  Persians. 

'  And  they  said  thus  unto  it.  Arise,  devour  much  flesh  :' 
this  was  said,  as  it  was  before  observed,  to  denote  the 
cruelty  of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  'i'hey  are  also  re- 
presented very    cruel  by  the  prophet  Isaiah,  xiii.   18 

'  Their  bows  also  shall  dash  the  young  men  to  pieces, 
and  they  shall  have  no  pity  on  the  fruit  of  the  womb  ; 
their  eye  shall  not  spare  children.'  Cambyses,  Ochus, 
and  others  of  their  princes  were  indeed  more  like  bears 
than  men.  Inhtances  of  their  cruelty  abound  in  almost 
all  the  historians,  who  have  written  of  their  affairs,  from 
Herodotus  down  to  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  t  who  de- 
scribes them  proud,  cruel,  exercising  the  power  of  life 
and  death  over  slaves  and  obscure  plel3eians.  They  pull 
off  the  skin,  says  he,  from  men  alive,  by  pieces  or  all  to- 
gether :  and  they  have  abominable  laws,  by  which  for 
one  man's  olfence  all  the  neighbourhood  is  destroyed*— 
Well  therelore  might  a  learned  French  \  commentator 

three  king'doms  of  the  Babylonians,  Medes  and  Persians,  which 
were  reduced  inxo  one  kmg-dom.'  See  Jerome's  Commentary, 
Vol.  III.  page  1100,  in  the  Benedictine  edition.  See  also  Yata- 
l^iilus,  and  trotivis  en  the  passage. 

•  See  Sh-  Isaac  Newton's  Observations  on  Daniel,  Chap  iv. 
page  29.  See  alsoBp.  Chandler's  Vindication,  Book  I.  Chap.  ii. 
Sect.  2.  page  198. 

f  '  Haughty,  cruel,  claiming  the  power  of  life  and  death, 
ever  slaves  and  obscure  common  people,  lliey  pull  the  skin  off 
from  men  alive,  either  in  piecemeal  or  altogether.  Their  laws 
are  to  be  detested,  whereby  for  the  fault  of  one  man,  all  his 
kindred  are  put  to  death  .'  See  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  Book 
XXIII.  Chap.  vi.  page  384,  in  Valesius'  edition,  printed  at  Paris 
in  1681. 

\  'The  Persians  have  exercised  a  dominion,  the  severest  and 
most  cruel  which  is  known.  The  punishments  inflicted  by  them 
produce  horror  in  those  who  read  them.'   See  Cahnet  on  Daniel 


THE  PROPHECIES.  2g3 

sa)',  that  the  Persians  have  exercised  the  most  severe, 
and  the  most  cruel  dominion  that  we  know  of.  The 
punishments  used  among  them  beget  horror  in  thoi>e 
who  read  of  them. 

III.  The  third  kingdom  is  represented,  ver.  6.  by 
*  another  beast  like  a  leopard,  which  had  upon  the  back 
of  it  four  wings  of  a  fowl ;  the  beast  had  also  four  heads  ; 
and  dominion  was  given  to  it.'  This  is  the  kingdom  of 
the  Macedonians  or  (jrecians,  who  under  the  command 
of  Alexander  the  Great,  overcame  the  Persians,  and 
reigned  next  after  them  :  and  it  is  fitly  compared  to  a 
li-ojiard  upon  several  accounts.  The  leopard  is  remarka- 
ble for  swiftness  ;  '  their  horses'  (saith  the  prophet  Ha- 
bakkuk,  i.  8.)  '  are  swifter  than  the  leopards  :'  and  Alex- 
ander and  the  Macedonians  were  amazingly  swift  and  ra- 
pid in  their  conquests.  The  leopard  is  a  spotted  animal : 
and  so  was  a  proper  emblem,  according  to  Bochart,  *  of 
the  different  manners  of  the  nations  which  Alexander 
commanded  ;  or  according  to  Grouus.f  of  the  various 
manners  of  Alexander  himself,  who  was  sometimes  mer- 
ciful, and  sometimes  cruel ;  sometiii  es  temperate,  and 
sometimes  drunken  ;  sonetimes  abstemious,  and  some- 
times incontinent.  The  leopard,  as  Bochart  \  observes,  is 
of  small  stature,  but  of  great  courage,  so  as  not  to  be  afraid 
to  engage  with  the  lion  and  the  largest  beasts ;  and  so 
Alexander,  a  little  king  in  comparison,  of  small  stature 
too,  and  with  a  small  army,  dared  to  attack  the  king  of 
kings,  that  is  Darius,  w^hose  kingdom  was  extended  from 
the  iEgean  seat  to  the  Indies.  Others  have  pu.  sued  the 
comparison  further,  but  v/ith  more  subtility  than  solidity; 
for  I  conceive  the  principal  point  of  likeness  was  design- 

*  'The  different  manners  and  customs  of  the  nations,  over 
which  he  bare  rule,  may  have  a  reference  to  the  spots  of  a  leo- 
pard.* See  Bochart's  Hierozoicon,  Part  I.  Book  III  Chap,  vii^ 
Col.  789. 

■^  *  The  leopard  is  an  animal  of  divers  colours.  So  in  Alexan- 
der we  discover  a  variety.  For  sometimes  he  was  merciful,  then 
cruel,  sometimes  temperate,  then  drunken,  sometimes  chaste, 
and  then  incontinent.'     See  Grotius  on  the  passage. 

^  •  The  leopard  is  a  beast  of  small  stature,  but  eminently  dis- 
tinguished for  its  courage  and  strength,  so  that  it  is  not  afraid 
to   engage  with  the  lion,  or  any  other  of  the  largest  beasts  of 


284  DISSERTATIOXS  OX 

ed  between  the  swiftness  and  impetuosity  of  the  one  and 
the  other. 

For  the  same  reason  the  beast  *  had  upon  the  back  of 
it  four  wings  of  a  fowl.'  The  r>abylonian  empire  was  re- 
presented with  tvjo  wings,  but  this  is  described  withybwr. 
For,  as  Jerome  *  saith,  nothing  was  swifter  than  the  vic- 
tories of  Alexander,  who  ran  through  all  the  countries 
from  Illyricum  and  the  Adriatic  sea  to  the  Indian  ocean 
and  the  river  Ganges,  not  so  much  fighting  as  conquer- 
ing, and  in  six  years  (he  should  have  said  in  twelve)  sub- 
jugated part  of  Europe,  and  all  Asia  to  himself.  '  The 
beast  had  also  four  heads:'  to  denote  the  four  kingdoms 
into  which  this  same  third  kingdom  should  be  divided,  as 
it  was  divided  into  four  kingdoms  after  the  death  of  Alex- 
ander,! his  four  captains  Cassander  reigning  over  Mace- 
don  and  Greece,  Lysimachus  over  Thrace  and  Bithynia, 
Ptolemy  over  Egypt,  and  Seleucus  over  Syria.  '  And 
dominion  was  given  to  it ;'  which  sheweth,  as  Jerome 
saith,  that  it  was  not  owing  to  the  fortitude  of  xVlexan- 
der,  but  proceeded  from  the  will  of  the  Lord.  And  in- 
deed unless  he  had  been  directed,  preserved,  and  assisted 
by  the  mighty  power  of  God,  hov/  could  Alexander  with 
thirty  thousand  men  have  overcome  Darius  with  six 
hundred  thousand,  and  in  so  short  a  time,  have  brought 
all  the  countries  from  Greece,  as  far  as  to  India,  into  sub- 
jection. 

IV.  The  fourth  kingdom  is  represented,  ver.  7.  by  a 
<  fourth  beast,  dreadful  and  terrible ;  and  strong  exceed- 
ingly ;  and  it  had  great  iron  teeth  ;  it  devoured,  and  brake 

prey.  In  like  manner,  Alexander,  though  a  little  king  and  with 
a  small  army,  ventured  to  aUack  a  king  of  kings,  namely,  Dari- 
us, whose  KiiTipire  reached  from  the  JEgean  sea  to  the  Indies.' — 
See  B;>chii.rt  in  the  same  place. 

*  *  Xo:hing  was  swifter  than  the  conquests  of  Alexander.  Fqi* 
he  ran  dirough  uU  the  countries,  which  extend  from  Illyricum, 
and  the  Venetian  sea  to  tlie  Indian  ocean,  and  the  banks  of  the 
Ganges,  rather  conquering  than  fighting- :  And  in  the  compass 
of  six  years,  he  made  himself  master  of  a  part  of  Europe,  and 
the  whole  of  Asia.'  See  .Jerome's  Commentary,  Vol.  III.  page 
1160,  in  the  Benedictine  edition, 

t  See  Prideaux'  Connections,  Parti.  Book  VIII.  year  301,  and 
foiurth  of  Ptolemv  Soter. 


THE   PROPHECIES.  ^85 

in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue  with  the  feet  of  it,  and 
it  was  divers  from  all  the  beasts  tiiat  were  before  it.*  Da- 
niel was  curious  to  know  particularly  what  this  might 
mean  ;  ver.  19.  *  Then  I  would  know  the  truth  of  the 
fourth  beast,  which  was  divers  from  all  the  others,  exceed- 
ing dreadful,  whose  teeth  were  of  iron,  and  his  nails  of 
brass,  which  devoured,  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the 
residue  with  his  feet.'  And  he  was  answered  thus  by  the 
angel ;  ver.  23.  '  The  fourth  beast  shall  be  the  fourth 
kingdom  upon  earth,  which  shall  be  divers  from  all  king- 
doms, and  shall  devour  the  whole  earth,  and  shall  tread 
it  down,  and  break  it  in  pieces.*  This  fourth  kingdom 
can  be  none  other  than  the  Roman  empire  ;  for  it  is  as 
absurd  as  it  is  singular,  to  pretend  to  reckon  the  king- 
doms of  the  Seleucidie  in  Syria  and  of  the  Lagidae  or 
Ftolemies  in  Egypt  as  the  fourth  kingdom.  Calmet  him- 
self* acknowledgeth,  that  this  is  usually  explained  of  the 
Roman  empire  ;  and  though  for  reasons  of  Church,  as 
well  as  reasons  of  state,  he  may  prefer  the  other  hypo- 
thesis, yet  it  is,  ''  without  pretending  to  destroy  the  sys- 
tem which  understands  the  fourth  empire  of  the  Roman, 
and  which,  as  he  confcsseth,  is  the  miost  commonly  re- 
ceived among  interpreters." 

The  kingdoms  of  the  Seleucidae  and  of  the  Lagidse,  can 
in  no  respect  answer  to  this  description  of  the  fourth 
beast  or  kingdom.  It  is  described  as  '  dreadful,  and  ter- 
rible, and  strong  exceedingly  :  but  the  kingdoms  of  the 
Lagidae,  and  of  the  Selucidse,  were  less  terrible,  and  Irss 
strong  than  any  of  the  former  kingdoms.  It  '  devoured, 
and  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue,'  that  is,  the 
remains  of  the  former  kingdoms,  'with  the  feet  of  it;* 
but  the  Lac^idas  and  the  Seleucidse,  were  almost  continu- 
ally at  war  with  each  other  ;  and  instead  of  subduing 
other  kingdoms, tore  to  pieces  their  own.  It  was  'divers 
from  all  kingdoms  that  is.  of  a  different  nature  and  con- 
stitution of  government :  but  Egypt  and  Syria  were  go- 
verned much  in  the  same  manner,  as  the  former  king- 

*  *It  is  ordinarily  explained  of  the  lloman  emph-c. — Without 
pretending:  Hevertheless  to  overtui-n  the  system,  whicli  under- 
stands the  fourth  empire  of  the  lionian,  and  which  is  the  most 
commonly  recei^cd  among  intevpreters."  See  Culmet  on  the 
passage. 


^90  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

doms,  and  were  equally  absolute  monarchies.  Of  the 
fourth  kingdom  it  is  said,  '  that  it  shall  devour  the  whole 
earth,  and  shall  tread  it  down,  and  break  it  in  pieces  :*  but 
this  can  never  be  applied  to  the  kings  of  Egypt  and  Sy- 
ria, who  were  so  far  from  enlarging  their  dominions,  that 
they  could  not  preserve  what  was  left  them  by  their 
ancestors. 

Wherefore  Jerome*  rightly  concluded,  that "  the  fourth 
empire  which  now  possesseth  the  world,  is  the  Roman, 
whereof  it  is  said  in  the  statue,  his  legs  of  iro7i,  his  fret 
fiart  of  iron,  and  part  of  clay  ;  and  yet  he  mentions  now 
the  iron  in  part,  attesting  that  it  had  great  iron  teeth. 
And  I  greatly  wonder,  saith  he,  that  when  he  ha  1  before 
placed  a  lion,  and  a  bear,  and  a  leopard  in  three  kingdoms, 
he  should  compare  the  Roman  empire  to  no  beast :  un- 
less, perhaps  that  he  might  make  the  beast  more  formi- 
dab'e,  he  concealed  the  name  ;  so  that  whosoever  we 
could  have  imagined  the  most  fierce  in  beasts,  that  we 
should  understand  the  Romans  to  be."  The  fourth  beast 
was  so  great  and  horrible,  that  it  was  not  easy  to  find  an 
adequate  name  for  it :  and  the  Roman  empire  was  '  dread- 
ful, and  terrible,  and  strong  exceedingly,'  beyond  any  of 
the  former  kingdoms.  It  was  '  divers  from  all  kingdoms,* 
not  only  in  its  republican  form  of  government,  but  like- 
wise in  strength,  and  power,  and  greatness,  length  of  du- 
ration, and  extent  of  dominion.  '  It  devoured,  and  brake 
in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue  with  the  feet  of  it  ;* 
it  reduced  Macedon  into  a  Roman  provincef  about  168 
years,  the  kingdom  of  Pergamus  about  133.  years,  Syria 
about  65  years,  and  Egypt  about  30  years  before  Christ. 
And  besides  the  remains  of  the  Macedonian  empire,  it 

*  *  The  fourth  kingdom,  which  now  bears  rule  over  all  the 
earth,  is  the  Roman.  Concerning  it,  in  the  image  it  is  said,  Ma* 
its  legs  tvere  of  iron,  and  its  feet  partly  of  iron,  and  partly  of  clay  ; 
and  yet  he  now  mentions  the  iron  in  part,  and  bears  witness  that 
its  teeth  were  of  iron,  and  larg-e.  1  greatly  wonder,  that  when 
he  hath  put  the  lioness,  the  bear,  and  tlie  leopard,  in  three  king- 
doms, he  should  not  compare  the  Roman  to  any  wild  beast;  un- 
less perhaps  he  hatli  omitted  the  name,  to  render  the  beast  the 
more  terrible,  that  whatever  we  can  think  of,  as  being  fiercest, 
is  to  be  understood  of  the  Roman.'  See  Jerome's  Commentary» 
Vol.  III.  page  1100  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

t  See  Usher,  Prideaux,  and  other  chronoloijers. 


THE  PROPHECIES  281 

subtliied  many  other  provinces  and  kingdoms,  so  that  it 
niighi  by  a  very  uset'ul  figure  be  said,  to  'devour  the 
whole  earth,  and  to  tread  it  down,  and  break  it  in  pieces  ;* 
and  became  in  a  manner  what  the  Roman  readers  delight-, 
ed  to  call  it,  terrariim  orbia  imjicrhim,  the  empire  of  the 
whole  world. 

A  Greek  writer  too,  and  he  a  grave  and  judicious  his- 
torian, who  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Augustus  Caesar, 
hath  a  remarkable  passage,  which  is  very  pertinent  to  our 
present  purpose.  Speaking  of  the  great  superiority  of 
the  Roman  empire  to  ail  former  empires,  he  saith,that  the 
Persian  was  succeeded  by  the  Macedonian,  and  the  Ma- 
cedonian by  the  Roman  ;  so  that  he  had  no  conception  of 
Alexander's  erecting  one  kingdom,  and  his  successors 
another,  but  considered  them  both  as  one  and  the  same 
kingdom.  His  words  are,  *  "the  Macedonian  empire 
having  overturned  the  force  of  the  Persians,  in  greatness 
indeed  of  dominion,  exceeded  ail  the  kingdoms  which 
were  befoie  it :  but  yet  it  did  not  flourish  a  longtime,  but 
after  the  death  of  .Alexander  it  began  to  grow  worse  and 
worse.  For  being  iaimediately  distracted  into  several 
principalities  by  his  successors,  and  after  them  having 

*  *  The  kingdom  of  the  Macedonians,  having"  destroyed  the 
power  of  ttie  Persians,  exceeded  in  largeness  of  dominion  ali 
that  had  been  before  it.  But  even  this  kingdom  did  not  lon^ 
fiourJsli.  For  after  the  death  of  Alexander,  its  ruin  began,  it 
was  then  divided  into  many  principalities  by  his  successors,  and 
after  them,  it  was  contip.iied  to  the  third  and  fourth  generation, 
but  was  weakened  by  itself,  and  at  last  overturned  by  the  Ro- 
mans. Nor  yet  did  it  reduce  into  its  dominion  all  lands  and 
seas.  It  was  not  even  possessed  of  Africa,  which  is  of  great 
extent,  excepting  that  part  of  it,  which  bordereth  upon  Egypt, 
nor  did  it  conquer  the  whole  of  Europe,  but  reached  only  to 
Tiirace  nortliward,  and  westward  descended   to  the  Venetian 

sea But  tlie  Roman  republic  has  obtained  dominion  over  all 

that  part  of  the  earth,  which  is  not  desert,  but  inhabited,  and 
is  miSiress  of  the  whole  sea,  not  only  of  that  within  the  pillars 
of  Hercules,  but  also  of  the  ocean,  as  far  as  it  is  navigable.  It 
is  the  fust  and  only  one,  in  the  memory  of  man,  which  hath 
made  the  east  and  west,  the  bounds  of  its  dominion.  Its  power 
bath  not  lasted  tor  a  short  time,  but  its  duration  hath  been 
greater,  than  luith  fallen  to  the  lot  of  any  republic  or  kingdom.* 
See  the  Roman  antiquities  of  Dionysius,  of  Halicarnassus,  Book 
1.  page  2,  and  3,  in  Hudson's  edition. 


288  DISSEHTATIONS  ON 

Strength  to  go  on  to  the  second  or  third  generation,  it 
^vas  weakened  by  itself,  and  at  last  was  destroyed  by  the 
Romans.  And  yet  it  did  not  reduce  all  the  earth  and 
sea  to  its  obedience.  For  neither  did  it  possess  Africa, 
except  that  part  adjoining  to  hgypt ;  neither  did  it  sub- 
due all  Europe,  but  only  northwards  it  proceeded  as  far 
as  Thrace,  and  westward  it  descended  to  the  Adriatic 
sea.  But  the  city  of  Rome  ruleth  over  all  the  earth,  as 
far  as  it  is  inhabited ;  and  commands  all  the  sea,  not  only 
that  within  the  pillars  of  Hercules,  but  also  the  ocean,  as 
far  as  it  is  navigable,  having  first  and  alone  of  all  the 
most  celebrated  kingdoms,  made  the  east  and  west  the 
bounds  of  its  empire  ;  and  its  dominion  hath  not  continu- 
ed a  short  time,  but  longer  than  that  of  any  other  city  or 
kingdom.'* 

2.  Another  remarkable  property  of  this  beast  is,  ver. 
7.  that  'it  had  ten  horns  :'  and  according  to  the  angel's 
interpretation,  ver.  24.  *the  ten  horns  out  of  this  king- 
dom are  ten  kings'  or  kingdoms  *  that  shall  arise.  Four 
kings'  a  little  before,  ver.  17.  signified  'four  kinL;doms :' 
and  so  here  teji  kings  are  ten  kingdoms^  according  to  the 
usual  phraseology  of  scripture.  And  this  is  a  farther 
argument  that  the  kingdoms  of  the  Lagidae,  and  of  the 
Seieucidae,  cannot  possibly  be  the  fourth  kingdom,  be- 
cause they  were  never  divided  into  so  many  parts.  "^The 
Macedonian  empire  was  divided  a  few  years  after  the 
death  of  Alexander  into  four  kingdoms,  whereof  Egypt 
ar:d  Syria  were  two  ;  but  these  two  were  never  again 
subdivided  into  ten  lesser  kingdoms.  Porphyry  there- 
fore, who  made  two  separate  kingdoms  of  the  kingdom 
of  Alexander  and  his  successors,  contrary  to  the  received 
interpretation  of  kingt,,  for  kingdoms^  reckons  down  to 
Antiochus  Epiphanes,  whom  he  supposeth  to  be  the  little 
horn,,  ten  kings  who  were  n.ost  cruel :  but  these  kings, 
as  Jerome*  observes,  were  not  all  of  one  kingdom,  of 
Macedonia  for  instance,  or  Syria,  or  Asia,  or  Egypt ;  but 
the  list  was  made  up  out  of  the  different  kingdoms. 

•  And  afterwards  down  to  Antiochus,  sirnamed  Epiphanes,  all 
of  whom  were  outrageously  cruel.  He  places  these  kings,  not 
in  one  kingdom,  for  example,  in  that  of  Macedonia,  or  Syria,  or 
Asia,  or  Egypt.  But  he  makes  up  his  one  list  of  kings,  by  tak- 
ing them  out  of  different  kingdoms.  See  Jerome's  Commen* 
tary,  Vol.  III.  page  1130,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  28f) 

Grotiu;^*  indeed,  and  Collins  after  him,  form  their  cata- 
logue of  the  ten  kings,  who  were  very  oppressive  and  cruel 
to  the  Jews,  out  oFtlie  kings  of  Egypt  and  Syria:  and  they 
thus  enumerate  them,  five  out  of  one  kingdom,  and  five 
out  of  the  other  :  Ptolemy  the  son  of  Lagus,  Seleucus 
Nicator,  Ptolemy  Eupator,  [I  suppose  they  mean  Ptolemy 
Philadelphus,  for  he  reigned  next  before  Ptolemy  the  son 
of  Lagus,  and  next  after  Ptolemy  Euergetes,  being  the 
son  of  the  former,  and  the  father  of  the  latter]  Ptolemy 
Euergetes,  Seleucus  Callinicus,  Antiochus  the  Great, 
Ptolemy  Philopater,  Ptolemy  Epiphanes,  Seleucus  Phi- 
lopater,  and  Antiochus  Epiphanes.  But  it  happens,  that 
some  of  these  kings  did  not  persecute  the  Jews  at  all,  as 
Seleucus  Callinicus.  Others  were  so  far  from  persecut- 
ing them,  that  they  were  their  patrons  and  protectors. 
Such  were  Ptolemy  the  son  of  Lagus,  Seleucus  Nicator, 
Ptolemy  Philadelphus,  Ptolemy  Euergetes,  and  Antio- 
chus the  Great ;  and  such  they  are  reckoned  by  Josephus 
himself  t  So  that  out  of  the  ten  kings,  only  four  were 
persecutors  and  oppressors  of  the  Jews.  The  ten  horns 
too  are  represented  as  existing  ail  at  once  :  they  shoot 
out  and  appear  upon  the  head  of  the  beast  all  together  : 
hut  these  kings  were  not  all  contemporaries,  many  of 
them  were  successive,  and  one  fell  before  another  rose. 
So  forctd  and  arbitrary  is  this  exposition,  and  so  contrary 
to  the  truth  of  history. 

We  must  therefore  look  for  the  ten  kings,  or  king- 
doms, where  only  they  can  be  found,  amid  the  broken 
pieces  of  the  Roman  empire.  I'he  Roman  empire,  as 
the  Romanists^  themselves  allow,  was  by  means  of  the 
incursions  of  the  northern  nations,  dism.embered  into  ten 
kingdoms  :  and  Machiavel,  §  little  thinking  what  he  was 
doing,  (as  Bishop  Chandler  observes)  hath  given  us  their 
names  ;  I.  The  Ostrogoths  in  Moesia,  2.  the  Visigoths  in 

*  See  Grotius  on  the  passage.  See  also  Scheme  of  Literal 
Prophecy,  &c.  page  162. 

f  See  AnUquities,  Book  XII.  Chap.  i.  ii.  iil.  See  him  against 
Apion,  Book  II.  Sect.  4  and  5.  page  1365,  in  Iludson's  edition. 

t  See  CahTiet  upon  Rev.  xiii.  1.  He  refers  to  Berengaud,  Bos- 
suet,  and  Dii  Pin. 

§  See  Machiavel's  History  of  Florence,  Book  I.  See  Bp.  Chand- 
ler's Vindication,  &,c.  Book  I.  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  3.  page  235. 

VOL.  I.  B  b 


:a90  BiSSEllTATIONS  ON 

Pannonia,  3.  the  Sueves  and  Alans  in  Gascogine  slu6 
Spain,  4.  the  Vandals  in  Africa,  5.  the  Franks  in  France, 
6.  the  Burgundians  in  Burgundy,  7.  the  Hueli  and  Tu- 
ring! in  Italy,  8.  the  Saxons  and  Angles  in  Britain,  9.  the 
Huns  in  Hungary,  10.  the  Lombards  at  first  upon  the 
Danube,  afterwards  in  Italy. 

Mr.  Mede,  whom*  a  certain  writer  esteemed  as  a  man 
divinely  inspired  for  the  interpretation  of  the  prophecies,! 
reckons  up  the  ten  kingdoms  thus,  in  the  year  456,  the 
year  after  Rome  was  sacked  by  Genseric  king  of  the  Van- 
dals :  1.  the  Britons,  2.  the  Saxons  in  Briton,  3.  the 
Franks,  4.  the  Burgundians  in  France,  5.  the  Wisigoths 
in  the  south  of  France,  and  part  of  Spain,  6.  the  Sueves 
and  Alans  in  Galiicia  and  Portugal,  7.  the  Vandals  in 
Africa,  8.  the  Alemanes  in  Germany,  9.  the  Ostrogoths 
whom  the  Longobards  succeeded  in  Pannonia,  and  after- 
wards in  Italy,  10.  the  Greeks  in  the  residue  of  the  em- 
pire. 

That  excellent  chronologer  Bishop  Lloyd,  exhibits  the 
following  list  I  of  the  ten  kingdoms  with  the  time  of  their 
rise  :  1.  Huns  about  A.  D.  356.  2.  Ostrogoths  377.  3.  Wi- 
sigoths 378.  4.  Franks  407.  5.  Vandals  407.  6.  Sue- 
ves and  Alans  407.  7.  Burgundians  407,  8.  Herules 
and  Rugians  476.  9,  Saxons  476.  10.  Longobards  be- 
gan to  rei£2:n  in  Hungary  A.  D.  526,  and  were  seated  in 
the  northern  parts  of  Germany  about  the  year  483. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton  enumerates  them  thus.  §  1.  the  king- 
dom of  the  Vandals  and  Alans  in  Spain  and  Africa,  2.  the 
kingdom  of  the  Suevians  in  vSpain,  3.  the  kingdom  of  the 
Visigoths,  4.  the  kingdom  of  the  Alans  in  Gallia,  5.  the 
kingdom  of  the  Burgundians,  6.  the  kingdom  of  the 
Franks,  7.  the  kingdom  of  the  Britons,  8.  the  kingdom  of 
the  Huns,  9,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards,  10.  the  king- 
dom of  Ravenna. 

The  few  variations  in  these  accounts  must  be  ascribed 
to  the  great  disorder  and  confusion  of  the  times,  one 

*  See  Mons.  Jurieu's  Preface  to  his  Accomplishment  of  Scrip-- 
tUre  Prophecies. 

f  See  Mode's  Works,  Book  III.  page  661. 

\  See  the  Addenda  to  Lowth's  Commentary,  pag-e  514. 

§  See  Sir  fsaac  Newton's  Observations  on  Uie  book  of  Daniel 
Chap.  vi.  page  47. 


THE  PROPIIRCHiS.  091 

kingdom  falling,  and  another  rising,  and  scarce  any  sub- 
sisting for  a  long  while  together.  As  a  learned  writer  * 
remarks,  "all  these  kingdoms  were  variously  divided, 
cither  by  conquest  or  inheritance.  However,  as  if  that 
number  of  te7i  had  been  fatal  in  the  Roman  dominions,  it 
hath  been  taken  notice  of  upon  particular  occasions.  As 
about  A.  D.  1240  by  Ebcrard,  Bishop  ofSaltsburg,  in  the 
diet  at  Ratisbon.  At  the  time  of  the  Reformation  they 
were  also  ten.  So  that  the  Roman  empire  was  divided 
into  ten  in  a  manner,  first  and  last."  IMr.  Whiston,  who 
published  his  essay  on  the  Revelation  of  St.  John  in  the 
year  1706,  farther  observes,  |  "that  as  the  number  of  the 
kin:-do:Yis,  into  which  the  Roman  empire  in  Europe, 
agreeably  to  the  ancient  prophecies,  was  originally  divid- 
ed, A.  D  456,  was  exactly  ten  :  so  it  is  also  very  nearly 
returned  again  to  the  same  condition  ;  and  at  present  iu 
divided  into  ten  grand  or  principal  kingdoms  or  states. — 
For  though  there  are  many  more  great  kingdoms  and 
dominions  in  Kurope  besides,  yet  they  are  out  of  the 
bounds  of  the  oid  Roman  empire,  and  so  not  directly 
%vithm  our  present  inquiry.*' 

We  would,  for  reasons  which  will  hereafter  appear  to 
the  attentive  reader,  fix  these  ten  kingdoms  at  a  different 
aera  from  any  of  the  foregoing  ;  and  let  us  see  how  they 
stood  in  the  eighth  century.  The  principal  states  and 
governments  then  were,  1.  of  the  senate  of  Rome,  who 
revolted  from  the  Greek  emperors,  and  claimed  and  ex- 
erted the  privilege  of  choosing  a  new  v.'estern  emperor ; 
2.  of  the  Greeks  in  Ravenna  ;  3.  ofthe  Lombards,  in  Lorn- 
bardy  ;  4.  ofthe  Huns  in  Hungary  ;  5.  ofthe  Alemanesiu 
Cermany  ;  6.  ofthe  Franks  in  France  ;  7.  of  the  Burgun- 
diansin  Burgundy;  8.  ofthe  (joths  in  Spain;  9.  ofthe  Bri- 
tons; 10.  ofthe  Saxons  in  Britain.  Not  that  there  were  con- 
stantly ten  kingdoms ;  they  were  sometimes  more,  and 
sometimes  fewer ;  but,  as  Sir  Isaac  Newton  ~  says,"  what- 
ever was  their  number  afterwards,  they  are  siill  called 
the  teji  kings  from  their  first  number." 


*  See  Daubuz  on  Rev.  xiii.  1.  page  559. 
•j-  See  Essay  on  the  llevelation.  Part  HI,  Vision  IV. 
+  See  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  Observations  on  the  Book  of  Daniel^ 
Ghap.  vi.  page  To. 


292  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

3.  Besides  these  ten  horns  or  kingdoms'of  the  fourth 
empire,  there  was  to  spring  up  among  them  another  little 
horn.     *1  considered  the  horns,    saith  Daniel,  ver.  8. 
'  and  behold  there  came  up  among  them  another  little 
Jhorn,  before  whom  there  wei  e  three  of  the  first  horns 
pliickt  up  by  the  roots.'      Daniel  was  eager  to  know, 
ver.  20.  as  '  of  the  ten  horns,'  so  likewise  'of  the  other 
which  came  up,  and  before  whom  three  fell.'     And  he 
Tvas  informed  by  the  angel,  ver.  24.  that  as  '  the  ten  horns 
out  of  this  kingdom  were  ten  kings'  or  kingdoms  '  that 
should  arise,'  so  likewise  that  'another  shall  rise  after 
them,  and  he  shall  subdue  three  kings' or  kingdoms.  One 
absurdity  generally  produceth  another:  and  Grotius,  *  in 
consequence  of  his  former  supposition  that  the  fourth 
kingdom  was  the  kingdoms  of  the  Seleucidae  and  the  La- 
gidae,  supposeth  also  that  'the  little  horn'  was  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  and  that '  the  three  horns  which  were  pluckt 
up  before  him'  were    hh  elder  brother  Seleucus,  and 
Demetrius  the  son  of  Seleucus,  and  Ptolemy  Philopater 
king  of  Egypt :  and  Collins  adopts  the  same  notion  after 
Grotius,  for  Collins  v/as  only  a  retailer  of  scraps,  and 
could  not  advance  any  thing  of  this  kind  of  his  own.  But 
surely  it  is  very  arbitrary  to  reckon  Antiochus  Epiphanes 
as  one  of  the  ten  horns,  and  at  the  same  time  as  the  Uttle 
horn,  when  the  prophet  hath  plainly  made  the  little  horn 
an  eleventh  horn,  distinct  from  the  formier  ten.     There 
were  '  three  of  the  first  horns'  to  be  pluckt  up  by  the  roots 
before  the  little  horn;  but  the  three  kings  mentioned  by 
Grotius  are  not  all  in  his  first  catalogue  of  ten  kings,  nei- 
ther Ptolemy  Philometer,  (if  Philometer  be  meant)  nor 
Demetrius  being  of  the  number.      Neither   were   they 
'  pluckt  up  by  the  roots'  by  Antiochus,  or  by  his  order. 
Seleucus  wasf    poisoned  by  his   treasurer  Heliodorus, 
whose  aim  it  was  to  usurp  the  crown  to  himself,  before 
Antiochus  returned  from  Rome,  where  he  had  been  de- 
tained a  hostage  several  years.     Demetrius  t  lived  to  de- 
throne and  murder  the  son  of  Antiochus,  and  succeeded 

*  See  Grotius,  Collins  on  the  same  place. 

t  See  Appian's  History  of  the  Syrian  War,  pag*e  11(3,  in  Sle- 
phanus'  (edition^  and  page  187,  in  that  of  Tollius. 

i  See  the  same  work  of  Appian,  page  117,  in  Stephanus'  edi- 
tion, page  188,  in  that  of  Tollius.  See  Justin,  Book  xxxiv.  Chap. 


THE  PllOPHF.CrcS.  293 

him  in  the  kingdom  of  Syria.  Ptolemy  Philopater*  died 
king  of  Egypt,  almost  thirty  years  before  Antiochus  came 
to  the  throne  of  Syria:  or  if  Ptolemy  Philometor.  Philo- 
metor  (as  is  most  probable)  was  meant  by  Grotius,  though 
he  suft'ered  much  in  his  wars  with  Antiochus,  yet  sur- 
vived himf  about  eighteen  years,  and  died  in  possession 
of  the  crown  of  Egypt,  after  the  family  of  Antiochus  had 
been  set  aside  from  the  succession  to  the  crown  of  Syria. 
Neither  doth  Antiochus  Kpiphanes  answer  to  the  cha- 
racter of  the  little  horn  in  other  respects,  and  particularly 
in  this:  the  little  horn  continues,  ver.  21,  22,  26.  to 
reign  till  the  second  coming  of  Christ  in  glory  ;  but  An- 
tiochus Epiphanes  died  about  164  years  before  his  first 
coming  in  the  flesh.  These  are  all  farther  arguments  to 
prove,  that  iho.  fourth  beast  must  needs  signify  the  Ro- 
man empire,  and  that  the  ten  horns  represent  the  ten 
kingdoms  into  which  that  empire  was  divided,  and  there- 
fore we  must  look  for  the  little  horn  among  them,  and  no 
where  else  :  and  that  we  may  not  be  led  away  by  modern 
prejudices,  let  us  see  whether  the  ancients  will  not  afford 
us  some  light  and  direction. 

Irenjeus  a  father  who  flourished  in  the  second  centu- 
ry, treating  of  the  fraud,  pride,  and  tyranny  of  Antichrist, 
asserts,  that  Daniel  \  respecting  the  end  "  of  the  last  king- 

iil.  See  Joscphus'  Antiquities,  Book  xii.  Chap.  x.  Sect.  1.  page 
548,  in  Hudson's  edition. 

*  Ptolemy  Philopater  died  Anno  204.  Antiochus  became  king 
Anno  \7B  before  Clirist.     See  Usher,  Prideaux,  &c. 

-j-  Antiochus  Epiphanes  died  Anno  164.  Ptolemy  Philometor, 
Anno  146  before  Christ.     See  Usher,  Prideaux,  Sec. 

+  *  For  Daniel,  considering  the  end  of  tlie  last  kingdom,  that 
is,  tlie  last  ten  kings,  among  whom  that  kingdom  was  to  be  par- 
celled out,  in  whose  time  the  son  of  perdition  should  come,  saitli 
that  ten  horns  shall  grow  upon  the  beast,  and  another  small  horn 
sliall  grow  up  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  shall  i*oot  out  three  of 
the  former  horns. — Of  this  the  apostle  Paul  speaks,  in  his  se- 
cond epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  when  he  mentions  the  son  of 
perdition  and  the  wicked  one,  &c.  John,  the  Lord's  disciple,  in 
ins  book  of  the  Tlevelation,  hath  made  us  more  fully  acquainted 
with  the  last  time,  and  with  the  ten  kings,  among  whom  the 
present  empire  shall  be  divided,  declaring-  plainly,  what  the  tea 
horns  shall  be,  which  were  seen  by  Daniel,'  &c.  SeeTrenxuf, 
Book  V.  Chap,  xxv.  xxvi.  &c.  in  Grabe*s  edition. 
B  b  2 


294  DISSERTATIOX  OX 

dom,  that  is,  the  last  ten  kings,  aniont^  whom  that  king- 
dom should  be  divided,  upon  whom  the  son  of  perdition 
shall  come,  saith  that  ten  horns  shall  grow  on  the  beast, 
and  another  little  horn  shall  grow  up  among  them,  and 
three  of  the  first  horns  shall  be  rooted  out  before  him. — 
Of  whom  also  Paul  the  apostle  speaketh,  in  his  second 
epistle  to  the  Thessalonians,  calling  him  ^^f"  so7i  ofperdi- 
tion  and  the  wicked  one.  St.  John,  our  Lord's  disciple, 
hath  in  the  Apocalypse  still  more  plainly  signified  of  the 
last  time,  and  of  these  ten  kings,  among  whom  the  em- 
pire that  now  reigneth,  shall  be  divided,  explaining 
what  the  ten  horns  shall  be,  which  were  seen  by  Daniel." 
St.  Cyril  of  Jerusalem,  who  fiourished  about  the  mid- 
dle of  the  fourth  century,  speaking  of  Antichrist's  com- 
ing in  the  latter  times  of  the  Roman  empire,*  saith,  "  We 
teach  these  things  not  of  our  oivn  invention,  but  having 
learned  them  out  of  the  divine  scriptures,  and  especi- 
ally out  of  the  prophecy  of  Daniel,  which  was  just  now 
read ;  even,  as  Gabriel  the  archangel  interpreted,  say- 
ing thus ;  the  fourth  beast  shall  he  the  fourth  kingdom 
iifion  earthy  which  shall  exceed  all  the  kingdoms  ;  but 
that  this  is  the  empire  of  the  Romans,  ecclesiastical  in- 

*  *  But  these  thing's  we  teach,  not  with  an  affectation  of  elo- 
quence, but  m  the  way  of  gathering  them  out  of  the  holy  scrip- 
tures, and  especially  out  of  the  words  of  Daniel,  which  we  have 
just  read,  even  as  the  archangel  Gabriel  hath  interpreted  the 
matter  expressing"  himself  in  these  words,  "  the  fourth  beast 
shall  bo  the  fourth  kingdom  upon  earth,  which  shall  be  greater 
tlian  all  other  kingdoms,"  and  that  this  is  the  empire  of  the 
Komans,  is  the  sentiment  of  Ecclesiastical  writers.  For  the  first 
of  these  kingdoms  that  became  renovmed,  was  that  of  the  Assy- 
rians. The  second  was  that  of  ihe  Medes  and  Persians.  After 
these  came  the  third,  namely,  the  kingdom  of  the  Macedonians. 
And  the  fourth  is  the  present  Roman  empire.  Afterwards  Ga- 
briel goes  on  to  interpret,  saying-,  "  Its  ten  horns  are  ten  kings 
that  shall  arise,  and  another  shall  arise  after  them,  who  shall 
surpass  in  wickedness  all  that  went  before  him  ;**  not  only  these 
ten  kings,  but  all  others  who  have  gone  before  him.  *' And  he 
.shall  subdue  three  kings."  But  it  is  manifest  that  out  of  the 
iirst  ten  he  shall  subdue  three,  while  he  himself  shall  reign  as 
the  eighth,  and  he  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  most 
High."  See  Cyril  of  Jerusalem's  Catechcsis  XV.  Chap.  vi.  page 
211,  in  Mill's  edition  of  Oxford. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  295 

terpreters  have  delivered.  For  the  first  that  was  made 
famous,  was  the  kingdom  of  the  Assyrians  ;  and  the  se- 
cond, was  that  of  the  Medes  and  Persians  together  ;  and 
after  these,  the  third,  was  that  of  the  Macedonians  ;  and 
the  fourth  kingdom,  is  now  that  of  the  Romans.  After- 
wards Gabriel  interpreting,  saith,  Its  teyi  hornfi  are  ten 
king's  that  shall  arise  ;  and  after  them  shall  arise  another 
I'ing-^  who  shall^exceed  in  wickedness  all  before  him  ;  not 
only  the  ten  he  saith,  but  also  all  who  were  before  him. 
Ayid  he  shall  de/iress  three  kings  ;  but  it  is  manifest,  that 
of  the  first  ten  he  shall  depress  three,  that  he  himself  may 
reign  the  eighth  :  and  he  shall  speak  words,  saith  he,  a- 
gainst  the  most  High.' 

St.  Jerome  having  refuted  Pophyry's  notion  of  Anti- 
ochus  lipiphanes,  being  the  little  horn,  (where  by  the 
way,  the  passage  appears  to  want  much  emendation)* 
concludes  thus:  "  Therefore,  let  us  say  what  all  Ecclesi- 
astical writers  have  delivered,  that  in  the  latter  days,  when 
the  empire  of  the  Romans  shall  be  destroyed,  theie  will 
be  ten  kings,  who  shall  divide  it  between  them,  and  an 
eleventh  shall  arise,  a  little  king,  who  shall  subdue  three 
of  the  ten  kings,  and  the  other  seven  shall  submit  their 
necks  to  the  conqueror."  Theodoret  speaketh  much  to 
the  same  purpose,  in  his  comment  upon  Daniel  5  and  St. 
Austin  t  expressly  approveth  of  Jerome's  interpretation. 
"  Those  four  kingdoms,  saith  he,  some  have  expounded 
to  be  the  Assyrian,  Persian,  Macedonian  and  Roman. — 
How  properly  they  have  done  that,  those  who  are  desir- 

*  'Therefore,  let  us  mention  the  sentiment  of  all  Ecclesiasti- 
cal writers,  namely,  that  at  the  end  of  the  world,  when  the  em- 
pire of  the  Romans  shall  be  destroyed,  there  will  arise  ten  kings 
who  shall  divide  it  among  them,  and  an  eleventh  inconsiderable 
king  shall  spring  up,  who  shall  conquer  three  of  the  ten  kings. 
These  being  slain,  the  remaining  seven  kings  shall  do  homage  to 
the  conqueror.*  See  Jerome's  Commentary,  Vol.  HI.  page  1101, 
in  the  Benedictine  edition. 

f  '  Some  have  expounded  these  four  kingdoms  to  be  the  As- 
syrian, Persian,  Macedonian  and  Roman.  How  aptly  this  hatli 
been  done,  they  who  are  desirous  of  learning,  may  consult  the 
presbyter  Jerome's  book  upon  Daniel,  which  has  been  written 
with  considerable  care  and  learning-.'  See  Augustine's  city  of 
God,  Book  XX.  Chap,  xxiii.  Vol.  VII.  page  457,  in  the  Bene- 
dictine edition,  printed  at  Antwerp. 


296  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

ous  of  knowing,  may  read  the  presbyter  Jerome's  book 
upon  Daniel,  which  is  very  accurately  and  learnedly  writ- 
ten.'* 

The  fathers,  it  appears  by  these  instances,  conceived 
that  the  fourth  empire  was  the  Roman,  that  the  Roman 
empire  was  to  be  divided  between  ten  kings,  and  that  a- 
mon£^  them  would  arise  Antichrist,  who  sliould  root  up 
three  of  the  ten  kings,  and  domineer  over  the  other  seven. 
At  the  same  time  it  must  be  confessed,  that  these  same 
fathers  entertained  strange  wild  notions  concerning-  this 
Antichrist,*  that  he  should  be  a  Jew,  that  he  should  de- 
scend from  the  tribe  of  Dan,  that  he  should  come  from 
Babylon,  that  he  should  fix  his  residence  in  the  temple  at 
Jerusalem,  that  he  should  first  subdue  Egypt,  and  after- 
wards Lybia  and  Ethiopia,  which  were  the  three  bonis 
that  should  fiiil  before  him.  But  it  is  no  wonder  that  the 
fathers,  nor  indeed  that  any  one  should  mistake  in  par- 
ticularly applying  prophecies,  which  had  not  then  receiv- 
ed their  completion.  The  fathers  might  understand  the 
prophecies  so  far  as  they  were  fulfilled,  and  might  say 
with  certainty,  which  were  the  four  great  kingdoms  of 
the  world,  that  the  fourth  was  the  Roman,  and  that  the 
Roman  would  be  divided  in  the  manner  that  Daniel  had 
foretold.  So  far  was  plain  and  obvious,  and  so  far  they 
might  proceed  with  safety  :  but  wiien  they  ventured  far- 
ther, and  would  define  particularly  who  were  the  ten 
kings,  and  Avho  was  Antichrist,  and  who  were  the  three 
kiu'^s  that  should  fall  before  him,  then  they  plunged  out 
of  their  depth,  and  were  lost  in  the  abyss  of  error.    Such 

*  Set;  l!en?eus.  Book  V.  Chap,  xxv,  and  xxx.  See  C}ril  of  Je- 
rusalem's Catechesis  XV,  Chap.  vii.  '  He  shall  conquer  three 
OUT  of  ihe  ten  kings,  namely,  the  kings  of  Egypt,  Africa,  and 
Etliiopia,'  See  Jerome's  Commentary,  page  1101. — '  He  will  be 
descended  fi-om  the  Jews,  and  he  will  come  from  Babylon,  and 
first  subdue  the  king  of  Egypt,  &.c.  Afterwards  he  will  subdue 
those  of  Africa,  and  Ethiopia,  which  are  the  tliree  liorns  out  of 
the  ten,  that  were  to  full  before  him.' — See  the  same  in  Chap, 
xi,  page  1128,  and  1132,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. — '  ^Vhcn 
Jacob  blessed  his  sons,  he  spake  such  things  concerning  Dan, 
that  from  thence  it  hath  been  thovight  that  Antichrist  would 
spj-ing  from  him.*  Sec  Augustine's  Questions  on  Joshua,  Book 
\l.  Question  xxii.  page  441,  Vol.  HI.  in  the  Benedictine  edi- 
tion, printed  at  Antwerp. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  297 

prophecies  can  be  explained  only  by  the  events,  andthese 
events  were  yet  in  the  womb  ot  time.  Some  other  mis- 
taken prophecies  might  lead  the  fathers  into  this  inter- 
pretation. There  is  not  the  least  foundation  for  it  in  this 
prophecy.  On  the  contrary,  this  prophecy  might  have 
instructed  them  better,  and  have  taught  them  that  as  the 
western  empire  was  to  be  divided  into  ten  kingdoms,  so 
the  little  horn  should  arise  among  tlievii,  and  subdue 
three  of  them:  and  consecjuently,  the  little  horn  could 
not  arise  in  the  east,  he  could  not  be  a  Jew,  he  couidnot 
couie  fiom  Babylon, and  neither  could  Egypt,  Lybia,  and 
Ethiopia,  be  the  three  kingdoms  which  should  fall  before 
liim.  Antichrist  then  (as  the  fathers  delight  to  call  him) 
or  the  little  horn  is  to  be  sought  among  the  tsn  kingdoms 
of  the  western  Roman  empire.  I  say  of  the  western 
Roman  em])ire,  because  th:.t  was  properly  the  body  of 
the  fourth  beast ;  Greece  and  the  counti  iec  which  lay 
eastward  of  Italy,  belonged  to  the  third  beast ;  for  the 
forniei;  beasts  Vvcre  still  subsisting,  though  their  domi- 
nion was  taken  away.  *  As  concerning  i)\Q  rest  of  the 
beasts,'  saith  Daniel,  ver.  12.  'they  had  their  dominion 
taken  away ;  yet  their  lives  were  prolonged  for  a  season, 
and  a  time.'  "And  therefore,  as  Sir  Isaac  Newton* 
rightly  infers,  all  the  four  beasts  are  stiil  alive,  though 
the  dominion  of  the  three  first  be  taken  dv/ay.  The  na- 
tions of  Chaldea  and  Assyria,  are  still  the  first  beast.-— 
Those  of  Media  and  Persia,  are  st.ill  the  second  beast.-^ 
Those  of  Macedon,  Greece,  and  Thrace,  Asia  minor,  Sy- 
ria and  Egypt,  are  still  the  third.  And  those  of  Europe, 
on  this  side  Greece,  are  still  the  fourth.  Seeirig  there- 
fore the  body  of  the  third  beast  is  confined  to  the  nations, 
on  this  side  the  river  Euphrates,  and  the  body  of  the 
fourth  beast  is  confined  to  the  nation  on  this  side  Greece; 
we  are  to  look  for  all  the  four  heads  of  the  third  beast,  a- 
mong  the  nations  on  this  side  the  river  Euphrates ;  and  for 
all  the  eleven  horns  of  the  fourth  beast,  among  the  nations 
on  this  side  of  Greece.  And  therefore,  at  the  breaking 
of  the  Greek  empire  into  four  kingdoms  of  the  Greeks, 
we  include  no  part  of  the  Chaldeans,  Medes,  and  Persians 

•  See  Sii-  Isaac  Xewton's   Observations  on  Daniel,  Chap.,  iv. 
page  31,  32. 


298  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

in  those  kingdoms,  because  they  belonged  to  the  bodies' 
of  the  two  first  beasts.  Nor  do  we  reckon  the  Greek  enn- 
pire  seated  at  Constantinople,  among  the  horns  of  the 
fourth  beast,  because  it  belonged  to  the  body  of  the  third." 
For  the  same  reason,  neither  can  the  Saracen  nor  the 
Turk,  be  the  little  horn  or  Antichrist,  as  some  have  ima- 
gined them  to  be ;  and  neither  do  they  come  up  to  the 
character  in  other  respects. 

Let  us  therefore  look  for  the  little  horn,  as  the  pro- 
phecy itself  directs  us,  among  the  other  ten  horns  of 
the  western  Roman  empire.  If  indeed  it  be  true,  as  the 
Romanists  pretend,  that  this  part  of  the  prophecy  is 
not  yet  fulfilled,  and  that  antichrist  will  come  only  for  a 
little  time  before  the  general  judgment-,  it  would  be  in 
vain  to  inquire  who  or  what  he  is;  we  should  split  upon 
the  same  rock,  as  the  fathers  have  done  ;  it  would  better 
become  us  to  say  with  Calmet,*  that  "  as  the  reign  of 
Antichrist  is  still  remote,  we  cannot  show  the  accom- 
plishment of  the  prophecies  with  regard  to  him  ;  we 
ought  to  content  ourselves  with  considering  the  past,  and 
comparing  it  with  the  words  of  the  prophet;  the  past  is 
an  assurance  of  the  future."  But  perhaps  upon  exami- 
nation, we  shall  see  reason  to  conclude  with  the  general- 
ity of  the  protestants,  that  this  part  of  the  prophecy  is 
fulfilled.  We  have  seen  already,  that  the  Roman  empire 
was  divided  into  ten  horns  or  kingdoms,  and  among 
them  possibly  we  may  find  another  little  horn  or  king- 
dom, answering  in  all  respects  to  the  character  here 
given.  Machiavel  himself,  will  lead  us  by  the  hand  ;  for 
having  shown  how  the  Roman  empire  was  broken  and 
divided  by  the  incursions  of  the  northern  nations,  he 
says,t  "  About  this  time  the  bishops  of  Rome  began  to 
take  upon  them,  and  to  exercise  greater  authority  than 
they  had  formerly  done.     At  first  the  successors  of  St. 

*  As  the  reign  of  Antichrist  is  yet  far  distant,  we  cannot 
show  the  accomplishment  of  the  prophecies  witli  respect  to 
him.  AVe  sliould  content  ourselves  with  considering  what  is 
past,  and  compare  that  with  the  words  of  the  prophet.  The 
past  is  a  pledge  of  that  which  must  one  day  happen.'  Calmet 
on  the  place. 

t  See  Machiavel's  history  of  Florence,  Book  I.  page  6.  of  the 
Eng^lish  translation. 


TilE  PUOPJLECIES.  099 

iPctev  were  venerable  and  eminent  for  their  rairacles, 
and  the  holiness  of  their  lives  ;  and  their  examples  ad- 
ded daily  such  numbers  to  the  christian  church,  that  to 
obviate  or  remove  the  confusions,  which  were  then  in 
the  world,  many  princes  turned  christians,  and  the  em- 
peror of  Rome  being  converted  among  the  rest,  and 
quitting  Rome,  to  hold  his  residence  at  Constantinople: 
the  Roman  empire  (as  we  have  said  before)  began  to 
decline,  but  the  church  of  Rome  augmented  as  fast." — . 
And  so  he  proceeds  to  give  an  account  how  the  Roman 
empire  declined,  and  the  power  of  the  church  of  Rome 
increased,  first  under  the  Goths,  then  under  the  Lom- 
bards, and  afterwards  by  the  calling  in  of  the  Franks. 

Here  then  is  a  little  horn  springing  up  among  the 
other  ten  horns.  The  bishop  of  Rome  was  respectable, 
as  a  bishop,  long  before,  but  he  did  not  become  a  horn 
properly,  (which  is  an  emblem  of  strength  and  power,) 
till  he  became  a  temporal  prince.  He  was  to  rise  after 
the  other,  that  is  behind  thern^  as  the  Greek  translates  it, 
ofiis  auton^  and  as  Mr.  IVIede  explains  it,*  so  that  ten 
kings  were  not  aware  of  the  growing  up  of  the  little 
horn,  till  it  overtopped  them  ;  the  word  in  the  original, 
signifying  as  well  btliind  in  place,  as  after  in  time  ;  as 
also  post  in  Latin  is  used  indifferently,  either  of  place  or 
time.  Three  of  the  first  horns,  that  is,  three  of  the  first 
kings  or  kingdoms,  were  to  be  pluckt  tifi  bij  the  roots, 
Ziud  to  fall  before  him.  And  these  three,  according  to 
Mr.  Mede,  "  were  those,  whose  dominions  extended  into 
Italy,  and  so  stood  in  his  light :  first,  that  of  the  Greeks, 
whose  emperor  Leo  Isaurus,  for  the  quarrel  of  image- 
worship,  he  excommunicated,  and  made  his  sub;ects 
of  Italy,  revolt  from  their  allegiance :  secondly,  that  of 
the  Longobards  (successors  to  the  Ostrogoths,)  whose 
kingdom  he  caused  by  the  a'd  of  the  Iranks  to  be  wholly 
ruined  and  extirpated,  thereby  to  get  the  exarchaic  of 
Ravenna  (which  since  the  revolt  from  the  Greeks  the 
Longobards  were  seized  on)  for  a  patrimony  to  St.  Fe^er: 
thirdly,  the  last  was  the  kingdom  of  the  Fro/:k,s^  itself, 
continued  in  the  empire  of  Geimf.ny  ;  whose  en^peiors 
from  the  days  of  Henry  the  fou,  th,  he  excommun" rated, 

^  See  Mede's  Works,  Book  IV.  Epistle  xxiv.  pag-e  776^  &c. 


300  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

deposed,  and  trampled  under  his  feet,  and  never  suffer- 
ed to  live  in  rest,  till  he  made  them  not  only  quit 
their  interest  in  the  election  of  popes,  and  investitures 
of  bishops,  but  that  remainder  also  of  jurisdiction  in 
Italy,  wherewith,  together  with  the  Roman  name,  he  had 
once  infeofied  their  predecessors.  These  were  the  kings 
by  displanting  or  (as  the  Vulgar  hath)  Immbling^  of  whom 
the  pope  got  elbow-room  by  degrees,  and  advanced  him- 
self to  that  height  of  temporal  majesty,  and  absolute 
greatness,  which  made  him  so  terrible  in  the  world. 

Sir  Isaac  Newton  reckons  them  up  with  some  varia- 
tion. Kings,  saith  he,*  are  put  for  kingdoms,  as  above; 
and  therefore  the  little  horn  is  a  httle  kingdom.  It  was 
a  horn  of  the  fourth  beast,  and  rooted  up  three  of  his 
iirst  horns ;  and  therefore  we  are  to  look  for  it  among 
the  nations  of  the  Latin  em.pire,  after  the  rise  of  the  ten 
horns.-  In  the  eighth  century,  by  rooting  up  and  sub- 
duing the  exarchate  of  Raocnna,  the  kingdom  of  the 
JLojubards,  and  the  senate  and  dukedom  of  Rome,  he  ac- 
quired Peter's  patrim.ony  out  of  their  dominions ;  and 
thereby  rose  up  as  a  temporal  prince  or  king,  or  horn 
of  the  fourth  beast."  Again.  *^  It  was  certainly  by  the 
victory  of  the  see  of  Rome  over  the  Greek  emperor,  the 
l<;ing  of  Lomhardy^  and  the  senate  of  Rome,  that  she 
acquired  Peter's  patrimony,  and  rose  up  to  her  great- 
ness.'* 

In  both  these  schemes  there  is  something  to  be  ap- 
proved, and  something  perhaps  to  be  disapproved.  In 
Mr.  Mede's  plan  il  is  to  be  approved,  that  the  three 
kingdoms  which  he  proposeth,  are  mentioned  in  his 
first  table  of  the  ten  kingdoms  :  but  then  it  may  be  ques- 
tioned, whether  the  kingdom  of  tiie  Franks  or  Germans 
in  Italy,  can  be  said  proj  erly  to  have  been  pluckt  ufi  by 
the  roots,  through  the  power  or  policy  of  the  popes. — 
There  were  indeed  long  struggles  and  contests,  between 
the  popes  and  emperoi  s ;  but  did  the  pope  ever  so  total- 
ly prevail  over  the  emperors,  as  to  extirfiate  and  eradi- 
cate them  out  of  Italy,  (for  so  the  original   word  signi- 

*  See  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  Observations  on  Danielj  Chap.  vii. 
page  74,  75,  and  76. 


THE  PROPHECJES.  301 

fies,)*  and  to  seize  «nd  annex  their  dominionfe  to  his  own  ? 
If  all  history  answers  in  the  atnnnative,  as  it  hath  been 

said,  it  wovild  be  easy  to  point  out  the  time  or  times 

But  for  my  part  1  recollect  no  period,  when  the  pope 
dispossessed  the  emperor  of  all  his  Italian  dominions, 
and  united  them  to  the  estates  of  the  chuich,  and  enjoy- 
ed them  as  such  for  any  time.  The  emperor  possesseth 
dominions  in  Italy  to  this  day.  In  Sir  Isaac  Newton's 
plan,  it  is  to  be  approved,  that  the  three  kingdoms  which 
he  proposeth,  were  pluckt.  ufi  by  the  roots^  were  totally 
subdued  by  the  popes,  and  possessed  as  parts  of  Peter's 
patrimony  :  but  then  it  may  be  objected,  that  only  two 
of  the  three  are  mentioned  in  his  first  catalogue  of  the 
ten  kingdoms,  the  senate  and  dukedom  of  Rome  being 
not  included  in  the  number.  There  were  not  only  three 
hornsi  to  be  pluckt  up  before  the  little  horn,  but  three  of 
ihe  Jimt  horns.  We  have  therefore  exhibited  a  cata- 
logue of  the  ten  kingdoms,  as  they  stood  in  the  eighth 
century  ;  and  therein  are  comprehended  the  three  states 
or  kingdoms,  which  constituted  the  pope's  dominions, 
and  which  we  conceive  to  be  the  sanae  as  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ton did,  the  exarchate  oi  Ravenna,  the  kircgdom  oi  xh^ 
Lombards,  and  the  state  of  Rome. 

First,  the  exarchate  of  Ravenna,  which  of  right  be- 
longed to  the  Greek  emperors,  and  which  was  the  capi- 
tal of  iheir  dominions  in  Italy,  having  revolted  at  the  in- 
stigation of  the  pope,  was  unjustly  seized  by  Aistulphus, 
king  of  the  Lombards,!  who  thereupon  thought  of  mak- 
ing himself  master  of  all  Italy.  The  pope  in  this  exi- 
gency applied  for  help  to  Pepin,  king  of  France,  who 
marched  into  Italy,  besieged  the  Lombards  in  Pavia,  and 
forced  them  to  surrender  the  exarchate  and  other  terri- 
tories, which  were  not  restored  to  the  Greek  emperor  as 

*  *  Gnakar*  to  pluck  up,  to  extirpate,  to  eradicate.  See  Bux- 
lorf  s  Lexicon.     See  Dan.  vii.  8. 

f  See  Sigonius'  kingdom  of  Italy,  Book  III.  Anno  753 — 755. 
See  Mezeray's  Chronological  Abridgment,  Art.  Pepin,  23d. 
king.  See  Platina's  lives  of  the  Popes,  translated  and  con- 
tinued by  Sir  Paul  Rycaut,  in  Stephen  II.  See  Sir  Isaac  New- 
ton's Observations  on  Daniel,  Chap.  vii.  See  also  Voltaire's 
origin  of  the  power  of  the  Popes,  in  the  first  part  of  his  gene- 
?al  history  of  Europe. 

VOL.   I.  C  C 


302  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

in  justice  they  ought  to  have  been,  but  at  the  solidtaticm 
of  the  pope,  were  given  to  St.  Peter  and  his  successors, 
for  a  perpetual  succession.  Pope  Zachary  had  acknow- 
ledged Pepin,  usurper  of  the  crown  of  France,  as  lawful 
sovereign  ;  and  now  Pepin  in  his  turn  bestowed  a  prin- 
cipality, which  was  another's  properly,  upon  Pope  Ste- 
phen II.  the  successor  of  Zachary.  "  And  so,  as  Pla- 
tina  says,*  the  name  of  the  exarchate,  which  had  con- 
tinued from  the  time  of  Narses  to  the  taking  of  Ravenna 
by  Aistulphus,  an  hundred  and  seventy  years,  was  ex- 
tinguished." This  was  effected  in  the  year  755  accord- 
ing to  Sigonius.  And  henceforward  the  popes,  being 
now  become  temporal  princes,  did  no  longer  date  their 
epistles  and  bulls,  by  the  years  of  the  emperors  reign, 
but  by  the  years  of  their  own  advancement  to  the  papal 
chair. 

Secondly,  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards,  was  often 
troublesome  to  the  popes :  and  now  again  king  Deside- 
riust  invaded  the  territories  of  Pope  Adrian  I.  So  that 
the  pope  was  obliged  to  have  recourse  again  to  the  king 
of  France,  and  earnestly  invited  Charles  the  Great,  the 
son  and  successor  of  Pepin,  to  come  into  Italy  to  his  as- 
sistance. He  came  accordingly  with  a  great  army,  being 
ambitious  also  himself  of  enlarging  his  dominions  in 
Italy,  and  conquered  the  Lombards,  and  put  an  end  to 
their  kingdom,  and  gave  great  part  of  their  dominions  to 
the  pope.  He  not  only  confirmed  the  former  donations 
of  his  father  Pepin,  but  also  made  an  addition  of  other 
countries  to  them,  as  Corsica,  Sardinia,  Sicily,  the  Sa- 
bin  territory,  the  whole  tract  between  Luc<;jl  and  Parma, 
and  that  part  of  Tuscany  which  belonged  to  the  Lom- 
bards :  and  the  tables  of  these  donations  he  signed  him- 
self, and  caused  them  to  be  signed  by  the  bishops,  ab- 
bots, and  other  great  men  then  present,  and  laid  them 
so  signed  upon  the  altar  of  St.  Peter.     And  this  was  the 


*  See  Platina  on  tlie  same,  page  140. 

f  See  Sigonius'  kingdom  of  Italy,  Book  III.  Anno  772 — 774. 
See  Platina's  Adrian.  See  Mezeray*s  Chronological  Abridg- 
ment, Article  Charlemagne  23d.  king.  Anno  772 — 774.  Sec 
also  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  Observations  on  Daniel,  Chap.  vil. 
page  80. 


THE  PROPl|KClES.  303 

end  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Lombards,*  in  the  206th  year 
after  their  possessing  Italy,  and  in  the  yeur  of  Christ  774. 
Thirdly,  the  state  of  Romr^  though  subject  to  the  popes 
in  things  spiritual,  was  yet  in  things  temporal  governed 
by  the  senate  and  people,  who  after  their  defection  from 
the  eastern  emperois,  still  retained  many  of  their  old 
privileges,  and  elected  both  the  western  emperor  and  the 
popes.  After  Charles  the  Great,t  had  overthrown  the 
kingdom  of  the  Lombards,  he  came  again  to  Home,  and 
was  there  by  the  pope,  bishops,  abbots,  and  people  of 
Rome,  chosen  Roman  patrician,  which  is  the  degree  of 
honour  and  power  next  to  the  emperor.  lie  then  settled 
the  affairs  of  Italy,  and  permitted  the, pope  to  hold  imder 
him  the  duchy  of  Rome  with  other  territories  :  but  alter 
a  few  years,  the.Roinans+,  desirous  to  recover  their  liber- 
ty, conspired  against  pope  Leo  III,  accused  him  of  many 
great  crimes,  and  imprisoned  him.  His  accusers  were 
heard,  on  a  day  appointed,  before  Charles  and  a  coui>* 
oil  of  French  and  Italian  bishops  :  but  the  pope,  without 
pleading  his  own  cause  or  making  any  defence,  was 
acquitted,  his  accusers  were  slain  or  banished,  and  he 
himself  was  declared  superior  to  all  human  judicature, 
And  thus  the  foundation  was  laid  for  the  absolute  autho- 
rity of  the  pope  over  the  Romans,  which  was  completed 
by  degrees  ;  and  Charles  in  return  was  chosen  emperor 
of  the  west.  However,§  after  the  death  of  Charles  the 
Great,  the  Romans  again  conspired  aaamst  the  nope  $  bu* 
Lewis  the  pious,  the  son  and  successor  of  Charles,  acquit- 
ted him  again.  In  the  meanwhile  Leo  was  dangerously 
ill :  which  as  soon  as  the  Romans,  his  enemies, perceived, 
they  rose  again,   burned  and  plundered   his  villas,  and 

*  *  And  here  was  the  end  of  the  kingdom  of  tlie  Lon^bards 
in  Italy,  in  the  206th  year  after  tiiey  had  gotten  possession  of 
that  counti  y,  and  in  the  year  of  Christ  774.'  See  Sii^-onius  ia 
the  end  of  his  third  Book. 

f  See  Sjgonius'  kingdom  of  Italy,  Book  IV.  year  774.  Sea 
the  above  work  of  Mezeray. 

^  See  Sigonius  in  the  same  place,  years  798 — 801.  See  Pla- 
tina's  life  of  Leo  HI.  See  also  the  same  work  of  Mezeray,  year 
799,  &c.  See  Sir  Isaac  Newton's  observations  on  Daniel.  See 
also  Voltaire's  revival  of  the  empire  of  the  west,  in  the  first 
part  of  his  general  history  of  Europe. 

§  See  Sig-onius  in  tha  same  place,  years  814,  815.. 


'304.  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

thence  marched  to  Rome  to  recover  what  things  they 
complained  were  taken  from  them  by  force ;  but  they 
>vere  repressed  by  some  of  the  emperor's  troops.  The 
same  emperor,  Lewis  the  pious*,  at  the  request  of  pope 
Paschal,  confirmed  the  donations  which  his  father  and 
grandfather  had  made  to  the  see  of  Rome.  Sigonius  has 
recited  the  confirmation :  and  therein  are  mentioned 
Home  and  its  duchy  coniainmg  part  of  Tuscany  and  Cam- 
pania, Ravenna  with  the  exarchate  and  pentapolis,  and 
the  other  part  of  Tuscany  and  the  countries  taken  from 
the  Lombards  :  and  all  these  are  granted  to  the  pope  and 
his  successors  to  the  end  of  the  world,  nt  in  suo  detincani 
jiire^  firi7!cifiatu^  atf^ue  ditione^  that  they  should  hold  them 
in  their  own  right,  principality,  and  dominion.  These,  as 
we  conceive,  were  the  three  horuii^  three  of  the  Jirat  homs^ 
which  fell  before  the  little  horn :  and  the  pope  hath  in  a 
manner  pointed  himself  out  for  the  person  by  wearing 
the  triple  crown. 

4.  In  other  respects  too  the  pope  fully  answers  the 
character  of  the  little  horn  ;  so  that  if  exquisite  fitness  of 
application  may  assure  us  of  the  true  sense  of  the  pro- 
phecy, we  can  no  longer  doubt  concerning  the  person. 
He  is  a  little  horn  :  And  the  power  of  the  popes  was  ori- 
ginally very  small,  and  their  temporal  dominions  were 
little  and  inconsiderable  in  comparison  with  others  of  the 

ten  horns. *  He  shall  be  divers  from  the  first;'  ver. 

24.  The  Greek  and  Arabic  translate  it,  that  he  shall  ex- 
ceed in  wickedness  t  all  before  him  ;  and  so  most  of  the 
fathers  who  made  usq  only  of  the  Greek  translation^ 
understood  it ;  but  it  rather  signifies  that  l>is  kingdom 
shall  be  of  a  different  nature  and  constitution  :  And  the 
power  of  the  pope  differs  greatly  from  that  of  all  other 
princes,  being  an  ecclesiastical  and  spiritual,  as  well  as  a 

civil  and  temporal  authority. '  And  behold  in  this  horn 

'vvere  eyes  like  the  eyes  of  a  man  :'  ver.  8.  To  denote 
h.is  cunning  and  foresight,  his  looking  out  and  watching 
all  opportunities  to  promote  his  own  interests  :  And  the 


*  See  Sig-onius  in  the  same  place,  year  817.  See  Sir  Isaac 
Newton's  Observations  on  Duniei,  Chap.  vii.  page  88. 

t  *  VVlio  in  wicke  dncss  shall  surpass  all  his  predecessors.'  Sec 
ihe  Arabic  version. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  305 

policy  of  the  Roman  hierarchy  haih  almost  passed  into 
a  proverb  ;  the  pope  is  properly  an  overlooker  or  ovrr- 
secr^  Efiuko/'os  or  bishop  in  the  literal  sense  of  the  word 
— '  He  h  id  a  mouth  speakintij  very  great  things:'  ver.  8, 
20,  And  who  hath  been  more  noisy  and  blustering  than 
the  pope,  especially  in  former  ages,  boasting  of  his  supre- 
macy, thundering  out  his  bulls  and  anathemas,  excom- 
municating princes,  and  absolving  subjects  from  their 
allegiance? — *  His  look  was  more  stout  than  his  fellows:* 
ver.  20.  And  the  po[)e  assumes  a  superiority  not  only 
over  his  fellow  bishops,  but  even  over  crowned  heads,  and 
requires  his  foot  to  be  kissed,  and  greater  honours  to  be 
paid  to  him  than  to  kings  and  emperors  themselves. — 
'  And  he  shall  speak  great  words  against  the  Most  High  :* 
ver.  25.  or  as  Symmachus*  interprets  it,  *  he  shall  speak 
great  words  as  the  Most  High  ;'  setting  up  himself  above 
all  laws  divine  and  human,  arrogating  to  himself  godlike 
attributes  and  titles  of  holinesH  and  infalUhilHy^  exacting 
obedience  to  his  ordinances  and  decrees  in  preference  to, 
and  open  violation  of  reason  and  scripture,  insulting  men, 
and  blaspheming  God.  In  Gratian's  decretals  the  pope 
hath  the  title  of  God  given  to  him — '  And  he  shall  wear 
out  the  saints  of  the  Most  High;'  by  wars,  and  massa- 
cres, and  inquisitions,  persecuting  and  destro)ing  the 
faithful  servants  of  Jesus,  and  the  true  worshippers  of 
God,  who  protest  against  his  innovations,  and  refuse  to 
comply  with  the  idolatry  practised  in  the  church  of  Rome. 
— '  And  he  shall  think  to  change  times  and  laws  ;'  ap- 
pointing fasts  and  feasts,  canonizing  saints,  granting  par- 
dons and  indulgences  for  sins,  instituting  new  modes  of 
worship,  imposing  new  articles  of  faith,  injoining  new 
rules  of  practice,  and  reversing  at  pleasure  the  laws  both 
of  God  and  men. — *  And  they  shall  be  given  into  his 
hand,  until  a  time,  and  times,  and  the  dividing  of  time. 
A  time,*  all  agree,  signifies  a  year ;  and  '  a  time  and 
times  and  the  dividing  of  time,  or  half  a  time,'  are  three 
years  and  a  half.  So  long  and  no  longer,  as  the  Roman- 
ists conceive,  the  power  of  Antichrist  will  continue  ;  but 

*  Or,  as  Symmuchus  hath  translated,  *  he  shall  speak  great 
words  as  if  he  were  God '  See  Jerome's  Commentary,  Vol.  III. 
pag-e  1103,  ia  the  Benedictine  edition. 

C  C  2 


306  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

it  is  impossible  for  all  the  things,  which  are  predicted  of 
Antichrist,  to  be  fulfilled  in  so  short  a  space  of  time,  and 
neither  is  antichrist  or  the  liitle  horn  a  single  man,  but 
a  kingdom.    Sin.-^le  men  are  not  the  subjects  of  this  pro- 
phecy, but  kingdoms.     I'he  'four  vings'  ver.  17.  are  not 
four  single  kings,  but  kingdonis  ;  and  so  the  'ten  horns* 
or  ki-^tg-sy  ver.  24.  are  not  ten  e-ingle  kings,  but  kingdoms  ; 
and  so  likewise  *  the  little  horn  is  not  a  single  king,  but 
a  kingdom,  not  a  single  man,  but  a  succebsion  of  men, 
exercising  such  powers,  and  performing  such  actions,  as 
are  here  described.      We  must  therefore  compute  the 
time  according  to  the  nature  and  genius  of  the  prophetic 
language.     '  A  time,'  then,  '  and  times,  and  half  a  time* 
are  three  years  and  a  half;  and  the  ancient  Jewish  year 
consisting  of  twelve  months,  and  each  month  of  thirty 
days,  "  a  time  and  times  and  half  a  time,'  or  three  years 
and  a  half,  are  reckoned  in  the  revelation,  xi.  2,  3.  xii.  6, 
14.  as  equivalent  to  'forty  and  two  months,  o?-  a  thou- 
sand two  hundr;:d  and  threescore  days :'  and  a  day,  in  the 
style  of  the  prophets,  is  a  year  ;  '  I  have  appointed  thee 
each  day  for  a  year,'  saith  God  to  Lzekiel ;  iv.  6.  and  it 
is  confessed,  that  '  the  seventy  weeks'  in  the  ninth  chap- 
ter of  Daniel,  are  weeks  of  years  ;  and  consequently  1260 
daijs  are   1260  years.     So  long  Antichrist  or  the  little 
horn  will  continue;    but   from  what  point  of  time  the 
commencement  of  these  1260  years  is  to  be  dated,  is  not 
easy  to  determine.     It  should  seem  that  they  are  to  be 
computed  from  the  full  establishment  of  the  power  of 
the  Pope,  and  no  less  is  implied  in  the  expression  '  given 
into  his  hand.'     Now  the  power  of  the  pope,  as  a  horn 
or  temporal  prince,  it  hath  been  shown,  was  established 
in  the  eighth  century :  and    1260  years  from  that  time, 
will  lead  us  down  to  about  the  year  of  Christ  2000,  or 
about  the  6000th  year  of  the  world  :  and  there  is  an  old 
tradition*  both  among  Jews  and  Christians,  that  at  the 
end  of  six  thousand  years  the  Messiah  shall  come,  and 
the  world  shall  be  renewed,  the  reign  of  the  wicked  one 
shall  cease,  and  the  reign  of  the  saints  upon  earth  shall 
begin.   But  as  Irenaeus  saith,  in  a  like  case,  it  is  surer  and 

*  See  the  Epistles  of  Barnabas,  Chap.  xv.  with  Cotelerius* 
Jiotcs.    See  Burnet's  Theory,  Book  III.  Chap.  v. 


TflE  PROPHECIEg.  SOf 

safer*  to  wait  for  the  coiiiplelion  of  the  prophecy,  than  to 
conjecture  and  to  divnie  about  it.  When  the  end  shall 
come,  tiicn  we  shall  know  better  whence  to  date  tlie 
beginning. 

V.  x\Il  these  kingdoms  will  be  succeeded  by  the  king- 
dom of  the  Messiah.  *■  1  beheld,'  saith  Daniel,  ver.  9,  lu. 
*  till  the  thrones  were  cast  down,'  or  rather  f  '  tiil  thrones 
were  set,  and  the  ancient  of  days  did  sit,  wliose  garment 
was  white  as  snow,  and  the  hair  of  his  head  like  the  pure 
wool :  his  throne  was  like  the  fiery  flame,  and  his  wheels 
as  burning  fire.  A  fiery  stream  issued  and  came  forth 
from  before  him  ■  thousand  thousands  ministered  unto 
him  :  and  ten  thousand  times  ten  thousand  stood  beiore 
him:  the  judgment  was  set,'  or  the  judges  did  sit, '  and 
the  books  were  opened.'  These  netaphors  and  figures 
are  borrowed  from  the  soleninities  of  eaithly  judicatories, 
and  particularly  of  the  gieat  Sanhedrim  of  the  Jew«, 
where  the  father  of  the  consistory  sat,  with  his  assessors 
seated  on  each  side  of  him,  in  the  form  of  a  seuiicircle, 
and  tlie  people  standing  before  hinj  :  and  froni  this  de- 
scription again  was  borrowed  the  description  of  the  day 
of  judgment  in  the  New  Testament. 

'  1  beheld  then,  because  of  the  voice  of  the  great  words 
which  the  horn  spake  :  i  beheld,  even  till  the  beast  was 
slain,  and  his  body  destroyed,  and  given  to  the  burning 
flame'  ver.  1 1.  The  beast  will  be  destroyed  '  because  of 
the  great  words  which  the  horn  spake,'  and  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  beast  will  also  be  the  destruction  of  the  horn  ; 
and  conse^juently  the  horn  is  a  part  of  the  fourth  beast,  or 
of  the  Roman  empire.  '  As  concerning  the  rest  of  the 
beasts,  they  had  their  dominion  taken  away,  yet  their  lives 
were  prolonged  for  a  season  and  a  time,'  ver.  12.  When 
the  dominion  was  taken  away  from  the  other  beasts,  their 

*  'Therefore  it  is  safer  and  attended  with  less  danger,  to 
wait  the  acsonnplishment  of  the  pxophecy,  than  to  conjecture  or 
to  divine  about  it.'  See  Irenxus,  Book  V.  Chap.  xxx.  page  448. 
in  Grabe's  edition. 

f  '  Till  the  thrones  were  set,'  so  the  Vulg-ate,  *  Until  the 
thrones  were  placed,' so  the  Septuugint.  '  I  saw  the  benches 
placed,'  so  the  S}riac.  *  The  seats  were  set,'  so  the  Arabic. 
And  tlie  same  word  is  used  in  the  Chakiee  parAphraiie  of  Jei*.  i. 
15.  *  They  shall  set  every  one  his  throne.' 


308  DISSERTATIONS  OU 

bodies  were  not  destroyed,  they  were  suffered  to  conti^- 
nue  still  in  being  :  but  when  the  dominion  shall  be  taken 
away  from  this  beast,  his  body  shall  totally  be  destroyed; 
because  other  kingdoms  succeeded  to  those,  but  none 
other,  earthly  kingdom  shall  succeed  to  this. 

*  I  saw  rn  the  night-visions,  and  behold,  one  like  the 
son  of  man,  came  with  the  clouds  of  heaven,  and  came  to 
the  ancient  of  days,  and  they  broui;ht  him  near  before 
hira,*  ver.  l.S.  How  strange  and  forced,  how  absurd  and 
unworthy  of  Grotius  is  it  to  apply  this  to  the  Romans, 
which  hath  always  been,  and  can  only  be  properly  under- 
stood of  the  Messiah  ?  From  hence  *  the  son  of  man,* 
came  to  be  a  known  phrase*  for  the  Mei5siah  anonp  the 
Jews.  From  hence  it  was  taken  and  used  so  frequently 
in  the  gospels  :  and  our  Saviour  intimates  himself  to  be 
this  very  Son  of  man  in  saying,  Matth.  xxvi.  6 ;,  65. 
*  Hereafter  shall  ye  see  the  son  of  man  sitting  on  the  right 
hand  of  power,  and  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  ;'  and 
thereupon  he  was  charged  by  the  high-priest  *  having 
spoken  with  bhsphemy.' 

*  And  there  was  given  him  dominion,  and  glory,  and  a 
kingdom,  that  all  people,  nations,  and  languages  should 
serve  him;  his  dominion  is  an  everlasting  dominion, 
which  shall  not  pass  away,  and  his  kingdom  that  M'hich 
shall  not  be  destroyed,'  ver.  14.  All  these  kingdoms  shall 
in  their  turns  be  destroyed,  but  the  kingdom  of  the  Mes- 
siah shall  stand  for  ever:  and  it  was  an  allusion  to  this 
prophecy,  that  the  angel  said  of  Jesus  before  he  was  con- 
ceived in  the  womb,  Luke  i.  33.  '  He  shall  reign  over  the 
house  of  Jacob  for  ever,  and  of  his  kingdom  there  shall  be 
no  end.* 

After  what  manner  these  great  changes  will  be  effect- 
ed, we  cannot  pretend  to  say,  as  God  hath  not  been  pleas- 
ed to  reveal  it.  We  see  the  remains  of  the  ten  horns, 
which  arose  out  of  the  Roman  empire.  We  see  the  lit- 
tle horn  still  subsisting,  though  not  in  full  strength  and 
vigour,  but  as  we  hope  on  the  decline,  and  tending  to- 
wards a  dissolution.     And  having  seen  so  many  of  these 

*  See  Jewish  authors  cited  even  by  Grotius,  and  Bp.  Chandler 
in  his  deftnce  of  Christianity,  Chap.  ii.  Sect.  1.  page  108,  of  th€ 
third  edition. 


THE  PUOPHECTRS.  ^9 

particulars  accomplished,  we  can  have  no  reason  to  doubt 
that  the  rest  also  will  be  fulfilled  in  due  season,  though 
we  cannot  Irame  any  conception  how  Christ  will  be  ma- 
nifested in  glory,  how  the  little  horn  with  the  body  of  the 
fourth  beast  will  be  given  to  the  burning  flame,  or  how 
the  saints  will  take  the  kingdom,  and  possess  it  for  ever 
and  ever.  It  is  the  nature  of  such  piophccies  not  to  be 
perfectly  understood,  till  they  are  fulfilled.  The  best 
comment  upon  them  will  be  their  completion. 

It  may  yet  add  some  farther  li^'ht  to  these  prophecies, 
if  we  compare  this  and  the  former  together  ;  for  compar- 
ing scripture  with  scripture  is  the  best  way  to  understand 
both  the  one  and  the  other.  What  was  represented  to 
Nebuchadnezzar  in  the  form  of  a  '  great  image,'  was  re- 
presented again  to  Daniel  by  *  four  great  wild  beasts  :*  and 
the  beasts  degenerate,  as  the  metals  in  the  image  grow 
worse  and  worse,  the  lower  they  descend. 

••  This  image's  head  v/as  of  fine  gold/  and  '  the  first 
beast  was  like  a  lion  with  eagle's  wings  :'  and  these  an- 
swer to  each  other;  and  both  represented  the  powers 
then  reigning,  or  the  kingdom  of  the  Babylonians :  but 
it  appeared  in  splendour  and  glory  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  as 
it  was  then  in  its  flourishing  condition  ;  the  fUuckiug  of 
its  uin:s,  and  its  humiliation  were  shown  to  Daniel,  as  it 
was  then  drawing  near  to  its  fatal  end. 

*  The  breast  and  arms  of  silver,'  and  '  the  second  beast 
like  a  bear'  were  designed  to  represent  the  second  king- 
dom, or  that  of  the  Medes  and  Persians.  The  two  ai^msdHQ 
supposed  to  denote  the  two  people;  but  some  farther  parti- 
culars were  hinted  to  Daniel,  of  the  one  people  rising  up 
above  the  other  people,  and  of  the  conquest  of  three  ad- 
ditional kingdoms.  To  Nebuchadnezzar  this  kingdom 
was  called  iiiftrior^  or  worse  than  the  former  ;  and  to 
Daniel  it  was  described  as  very  cruel,  '  Arise,  devour 
much  flesh  ' 

The  third  kingdom,  or  that  of  the  Macedonians,  was 
represented  by  '  the  belly  and  thighs  of  brass,'  and  by 
*  the  third  beast  like  a  leopard  with  four  wings  of  a  fowl.* 
It  was  said  to  Nebuchadnezzar,  that  *  it  should  bear  rule 
over  all  the  earth  ;'  and  in  Daniel's  vision,  '  dominion  was 
given  to  it.'  The  four  htada  signify  Alexander's  four 
successors ;  but  the  fwo  thighs  can  only  sigpnify  the  two 


31©  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

principal  of  them,  the  Seleucidae,  and  Lagidse,  the  Syrian^ 
and  Egyptian  kings. 

*  The  legs  of  iron,*  and  '  the  fourth  beast  with  great 
iron  teeth,'  correspond  exactly  ;  and  as  '  iron  breaketh  in 
pieces/ all  other  metals,  so  the  fourth  beast  *  devoured, 
and  brake  in  pieces,  and  stamped  the  residue  with  the 
feet  ot  it;*  and  they  were  both  therefore  equally  proper 
representatives  of  the  fourth  kingdom,  or  the  Roman, 
which  was  stronger  and  more  powerful  than  all  the  for- 
mer kingdoms.  The  ten  toes  too  and  the  [enhornsj  were 
alike  fit  emblems  of  the  ten  kingdoms,  which  arose  out 
of  the  division  of  the  Roman  empue  ;  but  all  that  relates 
to  '  the  little  horn/ was  revealed  only  to  Daniel,  as  a  per- 
son more  in-med'ately  interested  in  the  fate  of  the  church. 

The  '  stone'  that  was  '  cut  out  of  the  mountain,  without 
hands,  and  became'  itself  '  a  mountain,  and  filled  the 
■whole  earth,'  is  explained  to  be  a  kingdom,  which  shall 
prevail  over  all  other  kingdoms,  and  become  universal 
and  everlasting.  *  In  like  m.anner,  'one  like  the  son  of 
man  came  to  the  ancient  of  days,'  and  was  advanced  to  a 
kingdom,  which  shall  prevail  likewise  over  all  other  king- 
doms, and  become  universal  and  everlasting. 

Such  concord  and  agreement  is  there  between  these 
prophecies  of  Daniel,  which  remarkable  as  they  are  in 
many  things,  are  in  nothing  more  remarkable,  than  that 
they  comprehend  so  many  distant  events,  and  extend 
through  so  many  ages,  from  the  reign  of  the  Babylo- 
nians to  the  consummation  of  all  things.  They  are  tru- 
ly, as  IVlr.  Mede  t  called  them,  "  r/ie  sacred  calender  and 
great  almanack  of  prophecy^  'i  a  prophetical  'chronology 

•  [The  Jews  unanimously  agree,  that  by  the  stone,  is  here 
meant  the  Messiah.  His  kingdom,  from  small  beginnings,  should 
proceed  to  fill  the  whole  earth,  as  if  a  stone  should  grow  into  a 
mountain.  Mr.  Mede  has  judiciously  observed,  that  this  king- 
dom is  described  here  in  two  states,  the  kingdom  of  the  stone, 
and  the  kingdom  of  the  mountain.  The  small  and  progressive 
success  of  Christianity  is  meant  by  the  former,  the  universal 
triumph  of  it  by  the  latter.] 

t  See  Mede's  Works,  Book  III.  page  654. 

+  [The  kingdom  of  Christ  from  small  beginnings  hath  already 
made  a  vast  progress,  it  hath  subverted,  and  will  continue  to 
subvert  Pagan  and  Antichristian  kingdoms,  and  entirely  to  de- 
«trOy  and  dispose  them,  and  at  length  it  will  triumph  over  all 


THE  PROPHECIES.  311 

©f  times  measured  by  the  succession  of  four  principal 
kingdoms,  from  the  beginning  of  the  captivity  of  Israel, 
until  the  mystery  of  God  should  be  finished."  They  are 
as  it  were  the  great  outlines,  the  rest  mostly  are  filling 
up  the  parts  :  and  as  these  will  cast  light  upon  the  subse- 
quent prophecies,  so  the  subsequent  prophecies  will  re- 
flect light  upon  them  again. 

Daniel  was  '  much  troubled,*  ver.  28.  '  and  his  counte- 
nance changed  in  him,'  at  the  foresight  of  the  calamities 
lo  be  brought  upon  the  church  by  the  little  horn  :  *but 
he  kept  the  matter  in  his  heart.'  Much  more  may  good 
men  be  grieved  at  the  sight  of  these  calamities,  and  la- 
ment the  prevalence  of  popery  and  wickedness  in  the 
world  :  but  let  them  keep,  it  in  their  hearty  that  a  time  of 
just  retribution  will  certainly  come.  The  proof  may  be 
drawn  from  the  moral  attributes  of  God,  as  well  as  frora 
his  promise  ;  ver.  26,  27.  *  The  judgment  shall  sit,  and 
they  shall  take  away  his  dominion,  to  consume  and  to  de- 
stroy it  unto  th?  end.  And  the  kingdom,  and  dominion, 
and  the  greatness  of  the  kingdom  under  the  whole  hea- 
ven shall  be  given  to  the  people  of  the  saints  of  the  Most 
High,  whose  kingdom  is  an  everlasting  kingdom  and  all 
dominion  shall  serve  and  obey  him. 

•pposition,  become  a  great  mountain,  and  fill  the  earth.  This 
latter  part  of  the  prophecy  yet  remains  to  be  accomplished :  s* 
that  we  have  in  this  dream  a  most  extraordinary  prophetical 
abstract  of  the  most  signal  events  that  would  take  place,  througk 
all  succeeding  ages,  nearly  to  the  consummation  of  all  things. 
As  fur  as  the  accomplishment  hath  proceeded,  it  hath  been  most 
exact  and  undeniable,  and  future  ages  shall  be  filled  with  aston- 
ishment and  awe,  by  witnessing  this  stone  cut  out  without  hands, 
destroying  the  remaining  toes  of  this  image,  wid  wiiversally- 
•ti'iumphaat."]  >Sc»rt. 


INTRODUCTION 

TO  THE  LECTURE  FOUNDED  BY  THE  HONOURABLE 

EGBERT  BOYLE, 

JANUARY  5,  1756. 

THERE  is  not  a  stronger,  or  more  convincing  proof 
of  divine  revelation,  than  the  sure  wort/ oy/zro/i/ircy.  But 
to  the  truth  of  prophecy  it  is  objected,  that  the  predictions 
"were  written  after  the  events ;  and  could  it  be  proved  as 
well  as  asserted,  it  would  really  be  an  insuperable  objec- 
tion. It  was  thought  therefore  that  a  greater  service 
could  not  be  done  to  the  cause  of  Christianity,  than  by 
an  induction  of  particulars  to  show,  that  the  predictions 
•were  prior  to  the  events,  nay,  that  several  prophecies  have 
been  fulfilled  in  these  later  ages,  and  are  fulfilliKg  even  at 
this  present  time:  And  for  the  farther  prosecution  and  the 
"better  encouragement  of  this  work,  I  have  been  called  to 
preach  these  lectures,  by  the  favour  and  recommendation 
oi  the  great  prelate^  who  having  himself  written  most  ex- 
cellently of  the  use  and  intent  of  firof'hecy^  is  also  willing 
to  reward  and  encourage  any  one  who  bestows  his  time 
and  pains  upon  the  same  su!)ject.  The  ready  and  gracious 
concurrence   of  the  other  trustees,*  was  an  additional 

*  The  Trustees  appointed  by  Mr.  Boyle  himself,  were  Sir 
John  Rotheram,  Serg-eant  at  law  ;  Sir  Henry  Ashurst  of  London^ 
Knight  and  Bart.  Thomas  Tenison,  D.  D.  afterwards  Archbi- 
fibop  of  Canterbury,  and  John  Evelyn  Esq. ;  ArchbishopfTenison, 
the  survivor  of  these,  nommated  and  appointed  for  trustees, 
Richard  Earl  of  Durling'ton  ;  Dr.  Edmund  Gibson,  then-  Arch- 
deacon of  Surry,  afterwards  Lord  Bishop  of  London  ;  Dr.  Charles 
Trimnel,  then  Bisliop  of  Norwick,  afterwards  Bishop  of  AVin- 
chester;  Dr.  White  Kennet,  then  Dean,  afterwards  bishop  of 
Peterboroug-h ;  and  Dr.  Samuel  Bradford,  tlien  Rector  of  St.  Mary 
Le  Bow,  afterwards  Bishop  of  Rochester.  The  Earl  of  Burling- 
ton, being  the  only  surviving  trustee,  appointed  to  succeed  him 
in  the  said  trust;  William,  then  Marquis  of  Hartington,  now 
Duke  of  Devonshire  ;  Dr.  Thomas  Sherlock,  lord  Bishop  of  Lon- 
don ;  Dr.  Martin  Benson,  Lord  Bishop  of  Gloucester ;  Dr.  Thomas 


THE  1*R0PHECIES.  313 

honour  and  favour,  and  is  deserving  the  most  cjratcful 
acknowledgments.  Engaging  in  this  service  may  indeed 
have  retarded  the  publication  of  these  discourses  longer 
than  was  intended  :  but  perhaps  they  may  be  the  better 
for  the  delay,  since  there  have  been  more  frequent  occa- 
sions to  review  and  reconsider  them;  and  time  corrects 
and  improves  works  as  well  as  generous  wines,  at  least 
it  atfords  opportunities  of  correcting  and  improving  them. 
This  work  hath  already  been  deduced  to  the  prophe- 
cies of  Daniel :  and  as  some  time  and  pains  have  been 
employed  in  explaining  some  parts  of  his  prophecies,  and 
iDore  will  be  taken  in  explaining  other  parts  ,  it  may  be 
proper,  before  we  proceed,  to  consider  the  principal  ob- 
jections which  have  been  made  to  the  genuineness  of  the 
book  of  Daniel.  It  was  before  asserted,  that  the  first  who 
called  in  question  the  truth  and  authenticity  of  Daniel's 
prophecies,  was  the  famous  Porphyry,  who  maintained 
that  they  were  written  about  the  time  of  Antiochus  Epi- 
phanes:  but  he  was  amply  refuted  by  Jerome,*  and  hath** 
been  and  will  be  more  amply  refuted  still,  in  the  course 
of  these  dissertations.  A  modern  infidel  hath  followed 
Porphyry's  example,  and  in  his  scheme  of  literal  jirophecy^ 
hath  heaped  together  all  that  he  could  find  or  invent 
against  the  book  of  Daniei,  and  hath  comprised  the  whole 
in  eleven  objections,  in  order  to  show  that  the  book  was 
written  about  the  time  of  the  Maccabees  i  but  he  likewise 
hath  been  refuted  to  the  satisfaction  of  every  intelligent 
and  impartial  reader;  as  indeed  there  never  were  any  ar- 
guments urged  in  favour  of  inlideUty,  but  better  were  al- 
ways produced  in  support  of  truth.  The  substance  of 
hist  objections,  and  of  the  answers  to  him,  may  with 
truth  and  candour,  be  represented  in  the  following  man- 
ner. 

Seeker,  Lord  Bishop  of  Oxford,  now  Archbishop  of  Canterbury ; 
and  the  Honourable  Richard  Arundcll,  Esq.  of  whom  Bishop 
Benson  died  before,  and  Mr.  Arundell  since  the  appointment  of 
the  present  lecturer. 

*  See  Jerome's  Commentary  on  Daniel,  Vol.  III.  in  the  Bene- 
dictine edition. 

t  See  Collins'  Scheme  of  Literal  Prophecy,  page  149— isr 
See  Bp.  Chandler's  Vindication,  pa^Ci  4 — 157.  See  also  Saiti. 
Chandler's  Vindication,  paije  3 — 6U. 

VOL.  I.  D  d 


314.  DISSERTATIONS  0^ 

1.  It  is  objected,  "  that  the  famous  Daniel  mentioned 
by  Ezekiel,  could  not  be  the  author  of  the  book  of  Daniel ; 
because  Ezekiel,  who  prophecied  in  the  '  fifth  year  of  Je- 
hoiakim*  king  of  Judah,  implies  Daniel  at  that  time  to  be 
a  person  in  years;  whereas  the  book  of  Daniel,  speaks  of 
Daniel  at  that  time  as  a  youth."  But  here  the  objector 
is  either  ignorantly  or  wilfully  guilty  of  gross  misrepre- 
sentation. For  Ezekiel  did  not  prophecy  *  in  the  fifth 
year  of  Jehoiakim,'  nor  in  the  reign  of  Jehoiakim  at  all; 
but  he  began  to  prophecy  in  the  '  fifth  year  of  king  Je- 
hoiakim's  captivity,'  the  son  and  successor  of  Jehoiakim, 
Ezek.i  2.  that  is,  eleven  years  after.  When  Daniel  was 
first  carried  into  captivity  ;  he  might  be  a  youth*  about 
eighteen  :  but  when  Ezekiel  magnified  his  piety  and  wis- 
dom, Chap.  xiv.  and  xxviii.  he  was  between  thirty  and 
forty :  and  several  years  before  that  he  had  interpreted 
Nebuchadnezzar's  dream,  and  was  advanced,  Dan,  ii.  48. 
to  be  *  ruler  over  the  whole  province  of  Babylon,  and 
chief  of  the  governors  over  all  the  wise  men  of  I3abylon ;' 
and  was  therefore  very  fit  and  worthy  to  be  celebrated  by 
his  fellow-captive  Ezekiel. 

2.  His  second  objection  is,  "  that  Daniel  is  represent- 
ed in  the  Book  of  Daniel,  as  living  chiefly  at  the  courts 
of  the  kings  of  Babylon  and  Persia ;  and  yet  the  names 
of  the  several  kings  of  his  time  are  all  mistaken  in  the 
book  of  Daniel.  It  is  also  more  suited  to  a  fabulous  wri- 
ter, than  to  a  contemporary  historian,  to  talk  of  "  Nebu- 
chadnezzar's dwelhng  with  the  beasts  of  the  field,  and 
eating  grass  like  oxen,'  &:c.  and  then  returning  again  to 
the  government  of  his  kingdom."  Here  are  two  objec- 
tions confounded  in  one.  As  to  the  mistake  of  the  kings 
names,  there  are  only  four  kings  n.entioned  in  the  book 
of  Daniel,  Nebvichadnezzar,  Helshazzar,  Darius  the 
IMede,  and  Cyius  Of  the  first  and  the  last,  there  was 
never  any  doubt ;  and  the  other  two  may  be  rightly 
nam«'d.  thoi:i^h  they  are  named  differently  by  the  Greek 
historians,  who  yet  dii  tr  as  mueh  one  Irom  ftnother  as 
froni  Daniel  ft  is  well  known  that  the  eastern  monan.hs 
liad  se\eral  names ;  and  one  mtght  be  n.ade  use  of  by 
one  writer  and  another  by  aitither  it  is  i  liMoly  beg- 
ging the  question,  to  presume  without  fai  iher  proof,  tliat 

♦  Sec  Prideaux'  Connections,  Pai*t  I.  Book  I. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  siry 

Daniel  was  not  the  oldest  of  these  writers,  and  had  not 
better  opportunities  of  knowing  the  names  than  any  of 
them.  As  to  the  case  of  Nebuchadnezzar,  it  is  related 
indeed  in  the  prophetic  ti;>^urative  style.  It  is  the  inter- 
pretation of  a  dream,  and  stript  of  its  figures,  the  plain 
meanino;'  is,  that  Nebuchadnezzar  should  be  punished 
with  madness,  should  fancy  himself  a  beast,  and  live  like 
a  beast,  should  be  '  made  to  eat  grass  as  oxen,'  be  oblig- 
ed to  live  upon  a  vegetable  diet,  but  after  some  time, 
should  recover  his  reason,  and  resume  the  government. 
And  what  is  there  fabulous  or  absurd  in  this  ?  The  dream 
was  not  of  Daniel's  inditing,  but  was  told  by  Nebuchad- 
nezzar himself.  The  dream  is  in  a  poetic  strain,  and  .so 
likewise  is  the  interpretation,  the  better  to  show  how 
the  one  corresponded  with  the  other,  and  how  the  pro^ 
phecy  and  event  agreed  tos2:ether. 

3.  5le  objects,  '*•  that  the  book  of  Daniel  could  not  be 
written  by  that  Daniel  who  was  carried  captive  in  the 
Babylonish  captivity,  because  it  abounds  with  derivations 
from  the  Greek,  which  language  was  unknown  to  the 
Jews  till  long  after  the  captivity."  The  assertion  is  false, 
that  the  book  of  Daniel  aboutids  with  derivations  from 
the  Greek.  There  is  an  affinity  only  between  some  few 
words  in  the  Greek  and  the  Chaldee  language  :  and  why 
must  they  be  derived  the  one  from  the  other  ?  or  if  deri- 
ved, why  should  not  the  Greeks  derive  them  from  the 
Chaldee,  rather  than  the  Chaldees  from  the  Greek  ?  If 
the  words  in  question  could  be  shown  to  be  of  Greek 
extraction,  yet  there  was  some  communication  between 
the  eastern  kingdoms,  and  the  Colonies  of  the  Greeks  set- 
tled in  Asia  Minor  before  Nebuchadnezzar's  time  ;  and 
so  some  particular  terms  might  pass  from  the  Greek  in- 
to the  oriental  languages.  But  on  the  contrary,  the 
words  in  question  are  shown  to  be  not  of  Greek,  but  of 
eastern  derivation  ;  and  consequently,  passed  from  the 
east  to  the  Greeks,  rather  than  from  the  Greeks  to  tlie 
cast.  Most  of  the  words  are  names  of  musical  instru- 
ments ;  and  the  Greeks  acknowledge,*  that  they  receiv- 

*  '  And  having-  consecrated  to  Bacchus  the  whole  of  Asia, 
all  the  way  to  India,  they  borrow  from  thence  u  considerable 
part  of  their  music'  See  Strabo,  Book  X.  paije  471,  hi  th^ 
Paris  edition  of  1620.  page  722,  in  the  Amsterdam  edition  of 
1707.    Sec  also  Athcnaeus,  Book  XIV.  pa^e  625. 


316  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

€(1  their  music  from  the  eastern  nations,  from  whence 
Ihey  themselves  originally  descended. 

4.'"  It  doth  not  appear,"  says  the  objector,  "  that  thfe 
book  of  Daniel  was  translated  into  Greek,  when  the 
other  books  of  the  Old  Testament  were,  which  are  at- 
tributed to  the  Seventy  ;  the  present  Greek  version,  in- 
serted in  the  Septuagint,  being  taken  from  Theodotion's 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament,  made  in  the  second 
century  of  Christ.*'  But  it  doth  appear,  that  there  was 
an  ancient  Greek  version  of  Daniel,  which  is  attributed 
to  the  Seventy,  as  well  as  the  version  of  the  other  books 
of  the  Old  Testament.  It  is  cited  by  Clemens  Roma- 
niis,  Justin  Martyr,  and  many  of  the  ancient  fathers.  It 
was  inserted  in  c3rigen,  and  filled  a  column  of  his  Hexa- 
j^la.  It  is  quoted  several  times  by  Jerome ;  and  he  saith 
expressly,*  that  the  version  of  the  Seventy  was  repudiat- 
ed by  the  doctors  of  the  church,  and  that  of  Theodotion 
substituted  in  the  room  of  it,  because  it  came  nearer  to 
the  Hebrew  verity.  This  version  hath  also  been  lately 
published  from  an  ancient  M.  S.  discovered  in  the  Chig- 
hian  library  at  Rome. 

5.  It  is  objected  "  that  divers  matters  of  fact  are  spo- 
ken of  with  the  clearness  of  history,  to  the  times  of  An- 
tiochus  Epiphanes,  who  is  very  particularly  dwelt  upon, 
and  that  with  great  and  seeming  fresh  resentment  for  his 
barbarous  usage  of  the  Jews :  And  this  clearness  deter- 
mined Porphyry,  and  would  determine  any  one  to  think, 
that  the  book  was  written  about  the  times  of  Antiochus 
Epiphanes,  the  author  appearing  to  be  well  acquainted  with 
things,  down  to  the  death  of  Antiochus,  but  not  farther.'* 
13ut  what  an  argument  is  this  against  the  book  of  Daniel? 
His  prophecies  are  clear,  and  therefore  are  no  prophe- 

*  *  The  churches  of  our  Lord  .ind  Saviour  do  not  read  tl-.e 
prophecies  of  Uaniel  according  to  the  Septuagint,  but  iDuke  use 
of  the  version  of  Theodotion;  that  which  is  at  great  variance 
with  the  truth,  is  rejected  with  great  propriety.'  See  Jerome's 
Preface  to  the  Book  of  Daniel,  Vol.  I.  page  987. — '  According 
to  the  judgment  of  teachers  in  tlie  church,  the  Scptuag'hU  ver- 
sion has  been  rejected,  and  that  of  I'heodotion  is  commonly 
read.  For  it  agrees  better  with  tlie  Hebrew  and  other  transla- 
tions,' &.C.  See  his  Commentary  on  Dan.  IV.  Col.  1088.  of  Vo^, 
III,  in  the  Benedictine  edition. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  31 7 

cies:  as  if  an  all-knowing  Cod  could  not  foretcl  thini^s 
ckarly  ;  or  as  if  there  were  not  many  predictions  in  other 
prophets,  as  clear  as  any  in  Daniel  If  his  prophecies 
extend  not  low^rthan  the  times  of  Antiochus  Kpiphanes, 
his  commission  mii^ht  be  limited  thcie,  and  he  would 
not  f^o  beyond  his  commission.  But  it  hath  been  shown, 
and  will  be  shown,  that  there  are  several  propliecies  in 
Daniel,  relatin,^'  to  times  long  after  the  death  of  Antio- 
chus, and  these  prophecies  are  as  clear  as  those  before 
the  death  of  Antiocluis.  Neither  is  Antiochus  so  very 
particularly  dwelt  upon  as  is  commonly  imagined  ;  nei- 
ther is  he  spoken  of  with  greater  resentment,  than  other 
prophets  express  towards  the  kings'of  Assyria  and  Babv- 
lon.  All  honest  men,  who  love  liberty  and  their  coun- 
try, must  speak  with  indignation  of  tyrants  and  oppres- 
sors. 

6.  His  sixth  objection  is,  "  that  Daniel  is  omitted 
among  the  prophets  recited  in  Ecclesiasticus,  where  it 
seems  proper  to  have  mentioned  him  as  a  Jewish  pro- 
phet-author, had  the  book  mider  his  name  been  received 
as  canonical,  when  Ecclesiasticus  was  published."  Jt 
might  have  been  proper  to  have  mentioned  him,  had  the 
author  been  giving  a  complete  catalogue  of  the  Jewish 
canonical  writers.  But  that  is  not  the  case.  Ke  men- 
tions several  who  never  pretended  to  be  inspired  writers, 
and  omits  others  who  really  were  so.  No  mention  is 
made  of  Job  and  Ezra,  and  of  the  books  under  their 
nanes,  as  well  as  of  Daniel :  and  who  can  account  for 
the  silence  of  authors  in  any  particular  at  this  distance 
of  time?  Daniel  is  proposed,  1  Macc.ii.  60.  as  a  pattern, 
by  the  father  of  the  Maccabees,  and  his  wisdom  is  high- 
ly recommended  by  Ezekiel  :  and  these  are  sufficient  tes- 
timonies of  his  antiquity,  without  the  confirmation  of  a 
later  writer. 

7.  It  is  objected,  "  that  Jonathan,  who  made  the  Chal- 
dee  paraphrases  on  the  pronhets,  has  omitted  Daniel: 
from  whence  it  should  seem,  the  book  of  Daniel  was  not 
of  that  account  with  the  Jews,  as  the  other  books  of  the 
piophets  were."  But  there  are  other  books,  which  were 
always  accounted  canonical  amcng  the  Jews,  and  yet 
ha'  e  no  Chaldee  paraphrases  extant,  as  the  looks  of 
Ezra  and  Nehcmiah.    Jonathan  might  perhaps  not  make 

D  d2 


518  DISSEllTATIOXS  OX 

a  Targuin  or  Chaldce  paraphrase  on  Daniel,  because 
half  of  the  book  is  \vriuen  in  Chaldee.  Or  he  might 
have  mtde  a  'I'arL^um  on  Daniel,  and  that  Targiim  may- 
have  been  lost:  as  other  ancient  Ta»  gums  have  been  de- 
stroyed by  the  injury  of  time  ;  and  there  are  good  proofs 
in  the  Misna,  and  other  writers  cited  by  Bishop  Chan- 
dler, that  there  was  an  ancient  Targum  on  Daniel.  But 
though  Jonathan  made  no  Targum  on  Daniel,  yet  in  his 
interpretation  of  other  prophets,  he  frequently  applies 
-the  prophecies  of  Daniel,  as  fuller  and  clearer  in  des- 
cribing the  same  events  ;  and  consequently  Daniel  was 
in  his  esteeir.  a  prophet,  and  at  least  of  equal  authority 
with  those  before  him.  The  ranking  of  Daniel  among 
the  Hagiographa,  and  not  among  the  prophets,  was  done 
by  the  Jews  since  Christ's  time  for  very  obvious  reasons. 
He  was  always  esteemed  a  prophet  by  the  ancient  Jewish 
church.  Our  Saviour  calleth  him  '  Daniel  the  prophet  :* 
and  Josephus*  speaketh  of  him  as  one  of  the  greatest  of 
the  prophets. 

8.  "  That  part  of  Daniel,*'  says  the  objector,  "  which 
is  written  in  Chaldee,  is  near  the  style  of  the  old  Chal- 
dee paraphrases  ;  which  being  composed  many  hundred 
years  after  Daniel's  time,  must  have  a  very  different 
style  from  that  used  in  his  time,  as  any  one  may  judge 
i\om  the  nature  of  language,  which  is  in  a  constant  flux, 
and  in  every  age  deviating  frorii  what  it  was  in  the  for- 
aiier :  And  therefore  that  part  could  not  be  written  at  a 
time  very  remote  from  the  date  of  the  eldest  of  those 
Chakke  para])hrases."  But  by  the  same  argument  Ho- 
mer cannot  be  so  ancrent  an  autlior,  as  he  i«  generally 
reputed,  because  the  Greek  language  continued  much 
the  same,  many  hundred  years  after  his  time.  Nay, 
the  style  of  Daniel's  Chaldee  difTei  s  more  from  that  of 
the  old  Chaldee  paraphrases,  than  Homer  doth  from  the 
latest  of  the  Greek  classic  writers ;  and  when  it  was  said 
by  Prideaux  and  Kidder,  whose  authority  the  objector 
alleges,  that  the  old  Chaldee  paraphrases,  came  near  to 
tht  Chaldee  of  Danitl,  it  was  not  said  absolutely,  but 
comparatively,  with  respect  to  other  paraphrases,  which 
«Ud  not  come  near  to  Daniel's  purity. 

*  S^  Josephiis'  Antiquities,  Book  X.  Chap,  x,  and  xi. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  3ig 

9.  It  is  objected,  "  that  the  Jews  were  great  compos- 
ers of  books,  tmrler  the  names  of  their  renowned  pro- 
phets, to  do  themselves  the  honour,  and  particularly 
under  the  name  of  Daniel :  and  the  book,  of  Daniel  seems 
composed  lo  do  honour  to  the  Jews,  in  the  person  of  Da- 
niel, in  making  a  Jew  superior  to  all  the  wise  men  of  Ba- 
bylon." If  there  is  any  force  in  this  objection,  it  is  this. 
There  have  been  books  counterfeited  under  the  names 
of  men  of  renown,  therefore  there  can  be  no  genuine 
books  of  the  same  men.  Some  pieces  iu  Greek  have 
been  forged  under  the  name  of  Daniel,  and  therefore  he 
"wrote  no  book  in  Chaldee  and  Hebrew  long  before  these 
forgeries.  In  like  manner,  some  poems  have  been  as- 
cribed to  Homer  and  Virgil,  which  were  not  of  their  con^- 
posing;  and  therefore  the  one  did  not  compose  the  Iliad, 
nor  the  other  the  iLneid.  Som-e  false  writings  have  been 
attributed  to  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul ;  and  therefore  there 
are  no  true  writings  of  those  apostles.  Such  ar;_^uments 
sufficiently  expose  and  refute  themselves.  One  wo\ild 
think  the  inference  should  rather  lie  on  the  other  side. 
Some  books  have  been  counterfeited  in  the  name  of  this  or 
that  writer ;  and  therefore  that  there  were  some  gcmjine 
books  of  his  writing,  is  a  much  more  probable  presump- 
tion than  the  contrary. 

10.  The  tenth  objection  is,  "that  the  author  of  the 
book  of  Daniel  appears  plainly  to  be  a  writer  of  things 
past,  after  a  prophetical  manner,  by  his  uncommon  punc- 
tuality, by  not  only  foretelling  things  to  come,  like  otl.er 
prophets,  but  fixed  the  time  when  the  things  weie  to 
happen."  But  other  prophets  and  other  prophecies  have 
prefixed  the  times  for  several  events;  as  120  years  for 
the  continuance  of  the  antediluvian  world  ;  400  years  for 
the  sOjOurning  of  Abraham's  seed  in  a  strange  land  ;  40 
years  for  the  peregiination  of  the  children  of  Israel ;  65 
years  for  Ephraim's  continuing  a  people ;  70  years  for 
the  desolation  of  Tyre  ;  70  years  for  Judah's  captivity  ; 
and  the  like  :  and  therefore  the  fixing  of  the  times  can- 
not be  a  particular  objection  against  the  prophecies  of 
Daniel.  Daniel  may  have  done  it  in  more  instances  than 
any  other  prophet :  but  why  nnght  not  God,  if  he  was  so 
pleased,  foretel  the  dates  and  periods  of  any  events,  as 
well  as  the  events  themselves  ?  Josephus,  whom  the  ob- 


320  DISSERTATIONS  ON 

jector  hath  quoted  upon  this  occasion,  differs  totally  from 
hun.  jtie  *  ascribes  this  punctuality  to  divine  revelation, 
not  like  the  objector,  to  the  late  composition  of  the  book. 
lie  infers  from  it,  that  Daniel  was  one  of  the  greatest 
prophets,  not  like  the  objector,  that  he  was  no  prophet  at 
all. 

Lastly,  it  is  objected,  "that  the  book  of  Daniel  sets 
forth  factis  very  imperfectly,  and  often  contrary  to  other 
historical  relations,  and  the  whole  is  written  in  a  dark 
and  emblematical  style,  with  images  and  sy-  ibols  unlike 
the  books  of  ather  proplicts,  and  taken  from  the  schools  of 
the  Greeks."  As  to  Daniel's  setting  forth  facts  very  imper- 
fectly, he  is  perfect  enough  for  his  design,  which  was 
not  to  write  a  history  but  prophecies,  and  history  only  so 
far  as  it  relates  to  his  prophecies  As  to  his  writing 
contrary  to  other  historical  relation!^,  it  is  false.  For  most 
of  the  main  facts  related  by  him  are  confirmed  even  by 
heathen  historians  ;  but  if  he  contradicted  them,  yet  he 
would  deserve  more  credit,  as  he  was  n.ore  ancient  than 
any  of  them,  and  lived  in  the  times  whereof  he  wrote. 
As  to  his  emblems  being  unlike  the  books  of  other  pro- 
phets, and  taken  from  the  schools  of  the  Greek-i,  this  is 
also  false.  For  the  like  emblems  are  often  used  by  other 
prophets,  and  are  agreeable  to  the  style  und  genius  of  all 
the  eastern  writers  of  his  time  They  were  so  far  from 
being  taken  from  the  schools  of  the  Greeks,  th^t  on  the 
contrary,  if  they  were  ever  used  by  the  Greeks,  the 
Greeks  borrowed  them  fiom  the  oriental  writers.  But 
after  all  how  dcih  this  last  objection  consist  and  agree 
with  the  fifth  and  tenth  ?  There  divrrs  matters  of  fact 
ivers  sfiokcn  of  w:i.h  th'-  clearness  of  histor\^  and  the  au- 
thor was  convicted  of  forgery  by  his  uncojnmon  pimctU' 
alit ..  -  Here  all  is  dark  and  emblemaiical^  imperfct  and 
contrary  to  oihrr  histories.  Such  objections  contradict 
and  destroy  another.  Both  may  be  false,  both  cannot  be 
true. 

•  '  For  whatever  books  have  been  wi'itten  and  left  by  him,  are 
at  piesen;  leud  among  us;  and  fiom  these  ve  ure  persuaded  that 
D.aiicl  enjoyedf;.miliar  inUtcoiiisc  wirhGod.  For  unl;keloo'her 
proplietK,  he  not  only  foretold  fuUire  thing-.s,  but  he  ;il^o  fixes 
the  time  of  their  accomplisJimeut.'  See  Josepiius'  Ar.t;quitigSj 
Book  X.  Chap.  xi.  Sect.  7.  page  465,  i)i  Hudson's  editigu. 


THE  PROPHECIES.  321 

These  objections  bein^  removed,  what  is  there  want- 
ing of  external  or  internal  evidence  to  ^)rove  the  genu- 
ineness and  authenticity  of  the  book  of  Daniel  ?  There  is 
all  the  external  evidence  that  can  well  be  iuid  or  desired 
in  a  case  of  this  naluie  ;  not  only  the  testimony  of  the 
Avhole  Jewish  church  and  nation,  who  ha\e  constantly  re- 
ceived this  book  as  canonical ;  but  of  Josephus  particu- 
larly, who  commends  him  as  the  greatest  of  the  pro- 
phets ;  of  the  Jewish  Targums  and  Talmuds,  wliich  fre- 
quently cite  and  appeal  to  his  authority  ;  of  St.  I'aui  and 
St.  John,  who  have  copied  many  of  his  prophecies  :  of 
our  Saviour  himself,  who  citeth  his  words,  and  styleth 
him  '  Daniel  the  prophet ;'  of  ancient  historians,  who  re- 
late many  of  the  same  transactions;  of  the  mother  of  the 
seven  sons,  and  of  the  father  of  the  Maccabees,  who  both 
recommend  the  example  of  Daniel  to  their  sons:  of  old 
Eleazer  in  Egypt,  who  praying  for  the  Jews  then  suffer- 
ing under  the  persecution  of  Ptolemy  Philopater.  3  Mace, 
vii.  6,  7.  mentions  the  deliverance  of  Daniel  out  of  the 
den  of  lions,  together  with  the  deliverance  of  the  three 
men  out  of  the  fiery  furnace;  of  the  Jewish  high-priest, 
who  showed  Daniel's  prophecies  to  Alexander  the  Great) 
while  he  was  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  still  higher,  of  Ezekiel, 
a  contemporary  writer,  who  greatly  extols  his  tiety  and 
ivisdom.  Nor  is  the  internal  less  powerful  and  convinc- 
ing than  the  external  evidence  ;  for  the  language,  the 
style,  the  manner  of  writing,  and  all  other  internal  marks 
and  characters,  are  perfectly  agreeable  to  that  age  ;  and 
he  appears  plainly  and  undeniably  to  have  been  a  prophet 
by  the  exact  accomplishment  of  his  prophecies,  as  well 
those  which  have  already  been  fulfilled,  as  those  \\\\\q,\\ 
are  now  fulfilling  in  the  world. 

The  genuineness  and  authenticity  of  the  book  of  Daniel 
being  therefore  established  beyond  all  reasonable  contra- 
diction, we  may  now  proceed  in  our  main  design  :  and 
the  vision  of  the  Ram  and  he-goat,  and  the  prophecy  of 
the  things  noted  in  the  scripture  of  truth,  and  the  trans- 
actions of  the  kings  of  the  north  and  the  south,  will  find 
sufficient  matter  for  our  meditations  this  year.  Another 
year  will  be  fully  employed  on  our  Savio\ir's  prophecies 
of  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  and  the  dispersion  of  the 
Jews  together  with  St.  Paul's  prophecies  of  the  MiUi  of 


322  DISSERTATIONS  OK 

Sin,  and  of  the  apostacy  of  the  latter  times.  The  last  and 
most  difficult  task  of  all,  will  be  an  analysis  or  explication 
of  the  Apocalypse  or  revelation  of  St.  John.  It  is  a  haz- 
ardous attempt,  in  our  little  bark,  to  venture  on  that  dan- 
gerous ocean,  where  so  many  stouter  vessels  and  abler  pi- 
lots have  been  shipwrecked  and  lost:  but  possibly  we 
may  be  the  better  able  to  sail  through  it,  coming  prepar- 
ed, careened  and  sheathed  as  I  njay  say  for  such  a  voyage, 
by  the  assistance  ot  the  former  prophets,  having  paiticu- 
larly  Daniel  and  St.  Paul  as  our  pole-star  and  compass, 
and  bcRginj^  withal  of  God's  holy  Spirit  to  steer  and  di- 
rect our  course.  The  conclusion  will  consist  of  reflec- 
tions and  inferences  from  the  whole.  In  this  manner, 
v/ith  the  divine  assistance,  shall  be  employed  the  three 
years,  which  is  the  period  usually  allotted  to  these  exer- 
cises ;  and  it  is  hoped  that  the  design  of  the  honourable 
founder  will  in  some  measure  b'2  an^sweredby  proving  the 
truth  of  revelation  from  the  truth  ol  psophe' y  It  was 
indeed  a  noble  design  after  a  life  spent  in  the  study  of 
philosophy,  and  equally  devoted  to  the  service  of  religion, 
to  benefit  posterity  not  only  by  his  ov,'n  useful  and  nume- 
rous writings,  theological  as  well  as  philosophical,  but 
also  by  engaging  the  thoughts  and  pens  of  others  in  de- 
fence of  natural  and  revealed  religion  ;  and  some  of  the 
best  treatises  on  these  subjects  in  the  English  language, 
or  indeed  in  any  language,  are  owing  to  his  institution. 
This  is  continuing  to  do  good  even  after  death  ;  and  what 
^vas  said  of  Abel's  faith,  may  also  be  said  of  his,  that '  by 
it  he  being  dead,  yet  speaketh.* 

From  the  instance  of  this  excellent  person,  and  some 
others  who  might  be  mentioned,  it  appears  that  there  is 
nothing  inconsistent  in  science  and  religion,  but  a  great 
philosopher  may  be  a  good  Christian.  True  philosophy 
is  indeed  the  handmaid  to  true  religion  ;  and  the  know- 
ledge of  the  works  of  nature  will  lead  one  to  the  know- 
ledge of  the  God  of  nature,  the  invisible  things  of  him  be- 
iJig  clearly  seen  by  the  things  which  are  7nade  ;  even  his 
eternal  flower  and  Godhead.  They  are  only  minute  phi- 
losophers, who  are  sceptics  and  unbelievers.  Smatterers 
in  science,  they  are  but  smatterers  in  religion.  Where- 
as the  most  eminent  philosophers,  those  who  have  done 
honour  to  the  nationj  done  honour  to  human  nature  itself, 


THE  PROPHECreS.  223 

have  also  been  believers  and  defenders  of  revelation,  have 
studied  scripture  as  well  as  nature,  have  searched  after 
God  in  his  word  as  well  as  in  his  works,  and  have  even 
made  comments  on  several  parts  of  holy  writ.  So  just 
and  true  is  the  observation  of  the  Lord  Bacon,  *  one  of 
the  illustrious  persons  here  intended  ;  "  A  little  philoso- 
phy intiineth  man's  mind  to  atheism,  but  depth  in  phila- 
sophy  bringeth  men's  minds  about  religion." 

*  Sec  Lord  Bacon's  Essays,  XVIT. 


END  OF  TOL.  I. 


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